Prem Rawat recently received notable honors for his outstanding humanitarian efforts, including his work with The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) to bring dignity, peace and prosperity to people around the globe.
On Sept. 30, Prem Rawat received an honorary doctoral degree from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University (BRAOU) in Hyderabad, India.
“As a peace educator, Prem Rawat’s accomplishments are matchless and unparalleled. He has inspired audiences across the world to truly connect with their deepest self and a life of fulfillment, spanning over 100 countries,” noted BRAOU’s Vice Chancellor Ghanta Chakrapani in his introductory remarks. “In honoring him, we are honoring his contributions worldwide to improving health, increasing school enrollment and dropping crime rate, enabling local economies to bloom.”
One of Prem Rawat’s contributions is the Peace Education Program, an innovative series of video-based workshops that help people discover their inner strength and personal peace. To date, more than 615,000 people in over 80 countries have participated in the program across diverse settings, from universities to correctional facilities.
Additionally, Prem Rawat’s Food for People program has provided clean water, educational opportunities and more than 8 million healthy meals to disadvantaged children and others in need in India, Nepal, Ghana and South Africa.
Watch video of Prem Rawat receiving the doctorate here:
BRAOU was the first open university in India, established by the government of Andhra Pradesh to expand access to higher education for all sections of society. The university emphasizes inclusion of students from marginalized communities, including people with disabilities, members of scheduled castes and tribes, and transgender individuals.
An honorary doctorate (or Doctor honoris causa) is an academic degree that a university confers without the usual requirements of coursework, research or a dissertation. It recognizes a person’s outstanding contributions to a field, society or humanity.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who have allowed this day to come forth and have this honor bestowed on me. The way I see it, this university opens doors and provides tools to the students, giving them the opportunity to create what they want in their lives,” said Prem Rawat as he accepted the degree during the convocation ceremony at BRAOU. “It is my privilege to be a part, in some little way, of this institution because I, too, open doors. I try to open doors, not to commerce, not to innovation on the outside, but innovation on the inside. I open doors to peace. I open doors to human potential. And so, in one way, we both have a very profound objective that we are fulfilling.”
Gandhi Vision Award
A few days later, on the occasion of the International Day of Non-Violence, commemorating Mahatma Gandhi’s 156th birth anniversary, the India Association of Minnesota (IAM) and the Dr. Dash Foundation honored Prem Rawat with the 2025 Gandhi Vision Award.
The award ceremony took place on October 4 at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, recognizing Prem Rawat’s decades-long humanitarian contributions and global efforts to promote peace, compassion and wellbeing.
Announcing the award, Ram Gada, honorary board member of IAM, shared:
“From boy prodigy and 1970s teenage icon to global peace ambassador, Prem Rawat has brought exceptional clarity, inspiration and deep life lessons to millions. Now based in the United States, he continues to help people from all walks of life discover their inner source of peace—something profoundly needed in today’s world.”
On behalf of Prem Rawat, Marci Klein, Development Director at The Prem Rawat Foundation, accepted the award and certificate.
The Gandhi Vision Award celebrates individuals whose work exemplifies Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of non-violence, peace and human dignity, inspiring communities to lead with compassion and purpose.
