She has changed the lives of millions of devotees in India and abroad.
On Tuesday, as a tribute to Mata Amritanandamayi Devi’s selfless work, she will be conferred with the State University of New York (SUNY) Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
Amma, as she is known to the faithful, is the second Indian to receive this honourary degree, after the Dalai Lama.
“This is recognition of her selfless work, efforts for global peace and her continued mission of making education available to all,” said Ram K, one of the ashramites at Amritapuri, the headquarters of Amma’s worldwide mission.
SUNY is a renowned public university with 64 campuses across the state of New York, with four main centres in Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo and Stonybrook.
The SUNY honourary degree will be presented to Amma at a conferral ceremony in Slee Hall at the University at Buffalo North Campus. As part of her acceptance, she is scheduled to give a speech on modern education.
The award function is a stopover for Amma, 57, who is on her yearly tour abroad. “SUNY did not want Amma to be inconvenienced, so they clubbed the event with her tour,” said Ram.
In 2006, she was bestowed with Interfaith Center of New York’s 4th Annual James Parks Morton Interfaith award for her role as a spiritual leader and a humanitarian, specifically related to her work in the wake of the 2004 tsunami.
In 2005, Amma received the distinguished special UN consultative status in the Economic and Social Council of the UN. She also received the Gandhi-King Award for Non-Violence presented by the World Movement for Non-Violence.
