Satpal Maharaj (born Satpal Singh Rawat, 21 September 1951) is an Indian spiritual guru turned politician. He is a national executive member of the BJP. Currently, he serves as the tourism, cultural, and irrigation minister in the cabinet of the Government of Uttarakhand. He is the founder of Manav Utthan Sewa Samiti.

Early life

Childhood

Satpal was born as the eldest son of Hans Maharaj, a spiritual guru, and his second wife, Rajeshwari Devi, in a small town named Kankhal in Haridwar district. Since childhood, he has had an interest in spirituality and often practices deep meditation techniques. His brothers, Bhole Rawat and Prem Rawat are also spiritual gurus. Satpal went to St. George's College, Mussorie for formal education.

Spiritual Master

His father passed away in 1966, giving him the task of communicating spiritual knowledge to the world. He used to address a large crowd of followers with his spiritual discourses at very young ages. His message is "God is neither Hindu, Muslim, nor Christian. God is one and is our father".

Recognition as a Social Figure

Since the early years of his life, he has been a social activist, bringing about reforms. He has opened multiple non-profit clinics and brought other important services to the people of remote areas, who do not have access to government programs due to their geographical conditions. In his teenage years, he became familiar with the problems faced by people living in mountainous, remote areas of then-Uttar Pradesh, and he out-reached people living in such areas and supported their demand for a separate state of Uttarakhand. He set up a socio-spiritual society with the objective of uplifting mankind from the morass of ignorance and superstition. The society is called "Manav Utthan Sewa Samiti", with its headquarters in Delhi, India.

Socio-Spiritual Initiatives

He established a socio-spiritual organization called Manav Utthan Sewa Samiti.

Manav Utthan Sewa Samiti

He founded Manav Utthan Sewa Samiti with the motive of preaching the meditation techniques called "Knowledge". The Society stands for sanskritizing the lower classes in the society and sharing with them the joys and sorrows of life as brethren by providing them with spiritual succor. It fights for their rights and against atrocities on the lower castes and condemns depriving their entry into the place of worship. Community lunch and commune living is a common feature of society.

Padyatras (Foot Marches)

He headed many padayatras, both nationally and internationally, many social causes, and to bring awareness and peace. He is connected to the motive of building a better, healthy, and contented society and has made many efforts to this end, as listed below:

Other Social Initiatives

Shri Satpal Maharaj Ji has undertaken many social initiatives by the means of the MUSS.

Mission Education

This initiative was taken under the guidance of his son, Shri Shradhey Maharaj Ji, where they developed a model to supply the recurring stationery to the underprivileged of the society, who drop school due to lack of stationery. Under this initiative, the aim is to create a value system amongst the students of well-to-do families to care for the underprivileged and donate the excess of their stuff. This initiative focused on collection of items from well-off institutions and create awareness, and then making kits of necessary involved, and distributing them in underprivileged schools, so, there is no money involved at all. This is being run at the international level. In May 2019, this initiative became the world's quickest and largest system to donate the stationery, achieving a Guinness World Record.

Political career

Shri Satpal Maharaj is the current Cabinet Minister in the State of Government of Uttarakhand, serving as the Minister of Tourism, Irrigation, Culture.

Works in Uttarakhand

Role in the formation of Uttarakhand

He had played a vital role in the formation of Uttarakhand.

Rail Line Project

He inaugurated a survey to this project as a Union Minister, and Minister of Railways of State of Uttar Pradesh (Now, in Uttarakhand) in 1996. This project got budget allocation and other clearances from the government, it is said to be the longest tunnel rail project in the country, which will play a vital role in the security of the country, and livelihood of the people of Uttarakhand. The Rishikesh to Karnprayag Rail Line is proposed to serve a vital role in the country, for prompt movement of Army (as the geographical location of the line is near India-China Border), pilgrims and locals. The foundation stone for the project survey was laid down by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, on 9 November 2011 at Rishikesh, this was a 125-kilometer railway line project. The survey of the project completed somewhere by the year 2013, however, the project was delayed by state ministers to provide necessary land to Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) for the commencement of the project construction due to nonfinalization of land acquisition rules of Uttarakhand.

Private bill in 8th schedule

He brought a private member's bill to include Garhwali and Kumaoni language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

Protein Revolution

Uttarakhand Government has inked a tourism promotion horticulture research agreement with Peru. State Government will have intergovernmental interaction of scientific communities from both the countries in order to boost horticulture and wool production in the State. According to Maharaj, the president of Peru will visit Uttarakhand in January to explore the possibilities and economic opportunities here. The MoU for tourism promotion was signed between the Uttarakhand tourism minister Amrita Rawat and Peru president Carlos Canales in the presence of the vice president of India Mohammed Hamid Ansari in their recent visit to Peru. As per agreement tourism officials and other related agencies of Peru will visit the State to study tourism activities and further possibilities of promotional chances here. Besides this Uttarakhand will also import seeds of Peru's native protein-rich high altitude cereal crop Quinoa to cultivate it here.

International activities

1. On 17 October 2011, he delivered a speech at 66th United Nations General Assembly session held in New York City on the topic "Sport for Peace and Development".
2. On 19 October 2011, he presented the statement by India in the First Committee Thematic Debate on Conventional Weapons at 66th United Nations General Assembly session held in New York City.
3. He and his wife Smt. Amrita Rawat jointly donated a bust of Mahatma Gandhi to KwaZulu-Natal provincial government, the bust was to be installed at the Pietermaritzburg Railway Station; the station where Mahatma Gandhi was thrown out of the train.

COVID-19 disease

Satpal Maharaj, his wife, and his 22 family and staff members tested positive for Covid-19 on 30 May 2020. Satpal Maharaj and his wife had been admitted to AIIMS hospital, Rishikesh and the couple recovered from the coronavirus within 3 weeks; they were discharged from AIIMS hospital, Rishikesh on 17 June 2020.