New York, September 22, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Art of Living founder Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has stressed that economic prosperity cannot be sustained without peace and inner well-being, saying societies must address both economic inequality and human welfare to achieve meaningful growth.
Addressing Semafor’s The Next 3 Billion summit in New York, Ravi Shankar said, “Prosperity comes with peace. If there is no peace, there can’t be prosperity.”
The summit brought together heads of state and government, representatives of global institutions and business leaders to discuss how technology and digital inclusion can expand economic opportunities. Among those participating were Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto, Democratic Republic of Congo Prime Minister Judith Suminwa, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.
In a conversation with Semafor Co-Founder and CEO Justin B. Smith, Ravi Shankar spoke about economic inequality and the gap between the wealthy and disadvantaged, noting that the challenge exists across countries, including the United States.
He said people facing economic hardship needed to overcome what he described as “victim consciousness” and take greater responsibility for improving their circumstances. At the same time, he said people with greater resources needed to develop empathy and recognise the importance of sharing.
Ravi Shankar also identified corruption as a major barrier to ensuring resources reach people at the grassroots level, particularly across countries in the Global South.
Recalling an initiative near an Art of Living centre in rural India, he said around 500 unemployed young people had initially rejected 200 government-supported projects because they believed the ventures would not succeed. A two-month programme focused on developing an entrepreneurial mindset helped change their outlook, he said.
According to Ravi Shankar, the model was later taken to several African countries, including Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Botswana and South Africa.
Speaking about workplaces, he said stress could disrupt communication and affect businesses, underscoring the need to create a sense of belonging and security among employees, particularly during periods of uncertainty.
On artificial intelligence, Ravi Shankar offered a lighter observation: “There’s an absence of intelligence, artificial intelligence, and absolute intelligence.” At the conclusion of the session, Smith said that, if given a choice, he would select the third.
Ravi Shankar has also founded the Institute of Absolute Intelligence, which focuses on scientific exploration into consciousness.
FOLLOW NOW
