Founder's message
DARSHAN ACADEMY SILVER JUBILEE CELEBRATION
“We have reached a huge milestone in celebrating 25 Years of Darshan Education Foundation. A 25th anniversary is considered to be a Silver Jubilee. Silver is a befitting word for this monumental moment.”
When we think of the term “silver,” what comes to mind is the expression, “Every dark cloud has a silver lining.” This refers to how even in the darkest of times, the greatest challenges have within them a silvery, shimmering light. This radiant light can illumine even the darkest comers. When we reflect on Darshan Education Foundation and its role in the world, we find that it is bringing forth a shimmering light of hope even in the darkest of times.
One of the initiatives of Darshan Education Foundation has been the establishment of Darshan Academies. Each student who has passed through the threshold of the Darshan Academies in India and around the world glows with a silvery light that serves as a beacon of inspiration today and the future. No matter what challenges life poses, the students of Darshan Academies are well prepared to bring positivity and solutions to better the world.
It is a testament to the staff of Darshan Academy, from the teachers, principals, curriculum developers, and support staff that they have exemplified the highest ideals upon which students can model themselves. The philosophy of the Darshan Academy spiritual curriculum is based on the principles taught by Sant Darshan Singh Ji Maharaj after whom these schools are named. They are built on the recognition that well-rounded education not only teaches academic subjects alone, but seeks to develop the whole student—physically, mentally, emotionally, culturally, artistically, socially, and spiritually. The focus on reaching the highest potential in each of these areas is nourished by starting each day with a period of silent meditation and developing one’s spiritual growth. Scientific and medical research is now promoting the value of meditation for the body and mind. Reducing stress physically and mentally has been shown through studies to boost our performance, efficiency, concentration, and focus. As students are nourished by the benefits of meditation each day throughout their time at Darshan Academy, the results speak for themselves. Their academic, intellectual, creative, selfless service, and sports successes over the years have earned them multiple awards and recognition for their superior performance.
More than the accolades and recognition is the intangible but noticeable growth that the students have made toward becoming true human beings. What is a true human being? They live for and serve others. The highest ideal one can achieve is to be filled with compassion, love, nonviolence, and humility to consider all people as one family in creation, to love them as family, and to serve all those in need. This is the highest virtue one can attain in life—to love all and serve all, as children of the one Creative Power.
Students of Darshan Academy not only talk about serving others; they put love for all into action and engage in selfless service to make life better for others. Whether it is helping the sick, the needy, the orphaned and the elderly, or taking care of the ecology of the planet to make life sustainable for all now and in the future, they are applying their knowledge to serve others.
While the global pandemic we have passed through since 2020 has made the world aware that we are interconnected and we all must help each other to survive, students of Darshan Academy have been recognizing this and performing charitable acts for the past 25 years. I commend them for their using time not only for their own enjoyment but using their time, their talents, their skills, and their hearts and souls to bring a silver lining into the lives of others.
I want to thank everyone who has devotedly worked hard for the past 25 years, including the staff and parents, whose love and support has enabled the Darshan Education Foundation and Darshan Academies to be successful. It is a moment of joy to see the fruits of your labors of love. It is my prayer that this is but the first of many celebrations and that the Darshan Education Foundation continues to bring silver, radiant light to the world.