If you want to look into the life of a person who is totally dedicated to run with flag of a mission of one’s guru and simultaneously looking after duties as an ideal house- wife, a caring mother, a social worker, a responsible householder and a crusader for upliftment of downtrodden and also who has been applauded and appreciated at international level, then Smt. Kusumben Patel is an ideal example recognized in India, Europe and of course USA.

Born and educated in Endhal, Navsari District, Gujarat, India, Kusumben earned her M.Sc. degree from South Gujarat Uni. She worked for a brief period as a professor of chemistry, Navyug Science College, Surat, India,and subsequent to her marriage with Mr.Chimanbhai Patel, Vice President of a financial company at Chicago settled in USA (1978). Though she worked as a lab project manager and a biochemist for a pharmaceutical company for fifteen years, destiny had decided to allot her an altogether different nature of a project. Compared to $ 50,000 p./y. she used to earn she was offered a million times larger remuneration, but in an altogether different currency. She almost grabbed this opportunity and neither looked to back nor in front for any alternative offer.

This offer came to her in a divine way from none other than Mother Gayatri, the Universal Mother. She was inspired to become a dedicated disciple of one of the most revered saints and a sat-guru Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya, founder of world wide Gayatri Pariwar Yugnirman Yojana Mission, main branch in Shanti Kunj, Haridwar, Uttaranchal, India.Yugrishi, Yugdrasta, Vedmurti Jagat Guru, PRAGYAVTAR Pt. Shree ram Sharma Acharya
gifted with all kinds of super human prowess, a great sadhak of Mother Gayatri, a social reformer, a prolific writer and author of more than 3200 books including Veda, Upanishad, Darshan Shastra, Science of Gayatri and a great rishi of the modern era, ably assisted in his mission by his wife revered Mataji Smt. Bhagavati Devi Sharma herself a saintly personality. Recalling her first meeting with Pujya Gurudev, Kusumben did not even pause to think other than total surrender the moment she visualized at very first sight of glow of divine aura of gurudev and determined to work for rest of her life in service to the mission carried on by him. Thus was designed her destiny so as to become a peck of dust beneath his lotus feet and those of Vandaniya Mataji. Cognizing her dormant ability and a firm resolve to serve his ideals and mission, she received the honor of carrying the Gyan Mashal – Torch of Knowledge Absolute all the way to Europe and USA. The entire western hemisphere was destined to become an enlightened one once more, the center being Chicago once again after 1893, the year Swami Vivekanand thundered from the platform in the same city addressing the learned gathering as “My brothers and sisters” and spearheading the message of Sanatan Dharma – Universal Religion that dawned first in the land of Vedas and Upanishads.

Recognition her zeal and fruitful dedication for the mission in reverence to Mother Gayatri divine blessings were showered on her and she received title of “ Manas Putri “ of Gurudev and Vandaniya Mataji.

This coveted honor transformed her life style and she was born again to adopt a life of austerity and strict discipline of a gurukul (centers for learning, away from home in ancient India) to receive true knowledge for an ideal living. As a result of her tireless sojourn she received support from all over USA in form of dedicated devotees of Mother Gayatri and followers of gurudev, Gayatri Shaktipeeth Chicago became a reality. Initially it was at Devon, Chicago, and then later was shifted to spacious premises at Northwest Highway, Norwood Park Chicago.

Enlisting cooperation of thousands of devotees in USA, Kusumben expanded the core of her activities – Gayatri sadahana into wider horizons. Gayatri Shaktipeeth initiated programs in Yogic practices, devotional music and bhajans (devotional songs}, sat sang (spiritual & religious discourses), classes for meditation and yogic postures and conducting Gayatri Yagna (rituals for sacred fire) at the temple and residences more than 10,000, nonstop chanting of Gayatri mantra on auspicious days, cultivation of spiritual inclination into upcoming generation exposed to western culture, organizing cultural programs, conferences and seminars to name a few of her socio religious activities conducive to spiritual awakening.

She is the founder of Gaytri Pariwar Yugnirman Yojana Chicago in 1989 and estlablish Gayatri Pragya yug literature center in 1996 and Gayatri Shaktipeeth Chicago in 2005.

To keep the flame of the divine torch of True Knowledge, Gayatri Shaktipeeth publishes two newsletters since 1992 “Nari Yug “ and “Yug Dastha's Atamavani” of which she is honorary editor. From her pen flows everything that is always novel, with touch of an artist and flavor of inherent literary acumen. But nowhere she deviates in her writings from the central theme – Gayatri sadhana for mass awakening, because she is always conscious of her slumber once upon a time.

Though never even dreaming of getting any recognition for her social work and wary of publicity, society at large and admirers of her contributions to mankind were never unaware of her dedication to further the cause of mission entrusted by Gurudev. A count of such recognition includes the following.

She was awarded prestigious international honor, “The Interfaith Alliance Foundation – The Walter Cronkite and Freedom Award” in March 2000 with following citation.
“ As honorable spiritual leader and a social reformer, she strongly believes in universality of all religions and the quality of human beings. She is a sincere humanist who spreads the equality of all religions”.
One more feather in her cap was added thus. Eminent Indo-American writer Padma Shandas in her book titled “ Spices In The Melting Pot “ narrated stories about life of Exceptional South Asian American ladies who have discovered a deep sense of spirituality. She has noted, “ They live their lives happily, simply in the midst of entire binding materialistic glare. I find their stories empowering, if they can do it, there is hope for me. She chose to include the story weaved around life of Kusumben and has paid her tributes in a floristic style, “Kusum Patel is a woman of high dedicated spirit who is nurturing spiritual spirit in the people. She seems to have energy of a dozen teenagers, working continuously from office, from van and even from home late into night. She is a priestess, organizer and chief administrator of the Temple and works untiringly for the cause of mission”.

Recalling once more the award ceremony of Interfaith Alliance Foundation, “The Foundation builds bridges across diverse faith communities…. We celebrate our diversity as a source of national strength”. These were the observations made by Mr. Walter Cronkite, the esteemed TV anchor while handing over the citation to " Vandniya Bhagini"Mrs. Kusumben Patel.

She has been honored with several other awards:
“Millennium Leader for Religious Harmony Award “ by Federation of India America Association (FIA).

“Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya Smruti Shaktipeeth Award” was conferred on her by Dr.Satish Chandra Shukla, Organizer, Gayatri Shaktipeeth,Bhind (M.P.) India.

Honoring her through an address “ Manas Putri” Pandit Lilapat Sharma awarded The symbol of Gayatri pariwar Mission “Torch of Learning (Gyan Mashal )“ at a large gathering of devotees of gurudev held at Gayatri Tapobhumi, Mathura in 1998.

Being a multifarious personality, Kusumben’s ability as an efficient event organizer can be gauged from the gigantic nature of the following events.

In July 1995 for three days, Kusumben was the convener of a large scale Ashwamedh Yagna attended by about 24,000 people at Soldiers Park, Chicago, perhaps a first event organized on a massive scale by a woman.

“ She also organized a “Divine Conference of World Religions” in 1999 drawing leaders and devotees from various religions, Hindu, Muslim, Catholic, Sikh, Protestant Jewish and others. Here they celebrated the shared values such as tolerance, compassion, responsibilities, mercy and a vision for peace. Once more she was inspired to organize one more event at Rogers Park Chicago, bringing together different sections of the community.

Pandit Dwarka Prasad Trivedi an eminent scholar who worked w/Kusumben In Gayatri shaktipeeth Chicago, has lauded Kusumben’s contributions in the following sentences.” A lady of exceptional talent and qualities Kusum Patel has become a Torch of Knowledge, power and spiritual strength on the far away land of USA from her native land Endhal, Gujarat, India. She has performed much longer penance, anushthan and always remains absorbed in the path of spiritual progress and hopes to give better way for universal peace, harmony and happiness in the coming new era of twenty first century”.

Gayatri Pariwar - Chicago
8413 W. North Terrace
Niles, IL 60714
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