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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, March 7, 2004: In life, Pandurang Shastri Athavale, the spiritual leader of 30 million people, visited the Chicago area nearly every year since 1979. In death, he returned one last time Saturday, and more than 5,000 of his followers went to the Rosemont Theater to view his cremated ashes. Athavale passed away last October at the age of 82. Known to his followers as Dadaji, he developed a philosophy that helped economically revitalize 100,000 villages in India, an accomplishment that helped him earn the $1.2 million Templeton Prize for progress in religion. As leader of the Swadhyaya movement, Dadaji preached a philosophy that God is in everyone, and therefore we should treat everyone as if they were a member of our family. Most of his followers are Hindu, but members of all religions are welcome. In thousands of villages in India, Dadaji’s ideas translated into farmers and fishermen pooling part of their produce to benefit the entire community. followers also build housing for the needy. Among the many speakers at the service, Rep. Jan Schakowski (D-Ill.) called Dadaji a “holy man who changed the lives of millions of people with his simple vision of love and respect and equality.”

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