Swami Ramdev is an Indian Yoga guru who has played a pioneering role in popularising yoga across the world in the modern era. He has been organizing and conducting large yoga camps since 2002. He reached almost every middle-class household in India after he started teaching yoga using television. He claims to be a fierce patriot who is committed to India's traditional values and Sanatan culture. He is very vocal about his beliefs and has courted controversies many times because of his no-holds-barred speeches and interviews with the media. Presently, he is having a tug-of-war with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) over the efficacy of Ayurveda compared to allopathy. He has been very outspoken about bringing black money to India from overseas. in fact, he had staged a protest in support of his demand during the UPA regime at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan. One may or may not agree with Swami Ramdev on his ideological beliefs but no one can deny that he has given a new lease of life to yoga in modern times and he will always be remembered for his iconic contribution in this field. Here're 10 interesting facts about the life and journey of yoga guru Swami Ramdev:
1. Baba Ramdev was born in the Mahendragarh district of Haryana in 1965 to Ramniwas Yadav and Gulabo Devi. He was born in a farmer’s family as Ramkrishna Yadav. He claims that early in his life he was paralyzed but later got cured with the help of yoga.
2. He studied Indian scripture, Yoga and Sanskrit in various Gurukuls in India. He was the student of Acharya Baldevji in Gurukul Kalwa. Ramdev took sanyasi diksha and adopted the name Swami Ramdev from Swami ShankarDev Ji.
3. A renowned yoga guru famous throughout the world for his work in Ayurveda, Swami Ramdev founded the Patanjali Group along with his lifelong friend Acharya Balkrishna, who currently holds the position of Patanjali CEO.
4. In 1990, Swami Ramdev met Acharya Balkrishna in Aarsh Gurukul Khanpur. The two spent three years together, developing their friendship as they studied. In 2006, they both started Patanjali.
5. Acharya Balkrishna has 94% shareholding of Patanjali Ayurved and supervises its day-to-day activities, while Swami Ramdev remains the face of the company and makes most of the business decisions.
6. In 2020, Haridwar-based Patanjali Ayurveda reported a net profit of Rs 424 crore for the financial year 2019-20. The overall revenue from operations of the company was at a record high of Rs 9,022.71 crore for FY 19-20. Its revenue from 'other income' was up threefold during the fiscal under review to Rs 65.19 crore, from Rs 18.89 crore of the FY 2018-19.
7. Patanjali Yogpeeth, an institute founded for the promotion and practice of Yoga and Ayurveda has gained prominence all around the world. It has two Indian campuses in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Other locations include the UK, US, Nepal, Canada and Mauritius.
8. Swami Ramdev is the Vice-Chancellor of the Patanjali Yogapeeth. He established the Patanjali Yog Peeth UK Trust in 2006, with the aim of promoting yoga in the UK. To extend Patanjali Yogpeeth, he also acquired the Scottish island of Little Cumbrae.
9. Swami Ramdev founded the Divya Yog Mandir Trust in 1995. In 2003, Aastha TV began featuring him in its morning yoga slot. He is also the founder of - Patanjali Yogpeeth, Patanjali Ayurved and Bharat Swabhiman Trust.
10. His life has not been devoid of controversies. In 2011, he was staging a protest at Delhi's Ramlila ground in support of his demand for bringing back black money from overseas. However, he was forced to jump out of the stage, disguised in a dupatta, after a big unit of police and RAF came to detain him. Swami Ramdev later said that there was a grave threat to his life that forced him to change his attire so that he could escape from the ground without getting caught by the police.
