Crisis Management

Pramukh Swami Maharaj

His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj (1921-2016), Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s fifth spiritual successor studied only up to standard 6 in a village school. So, he had very little formal education. Yet, from 1950, for over 75 years as the administrative president and 45 years (1971-2016) as the spiritual head of BAPS, his leadership skills were outstanding. He faced many make or break and crisis situations, and his responses were inspiring. The following incidents illustrate his exemplary approach to critical situations.

The Akshardham Response

Gandhinagar, India, 24 September 2002. At 4.45 p.m., on a pleasant autumn afternoon, the unimaginable happened: out of the blue, a totally unprovoked attack on the sacred Swaminarayan Akshardham complex by two terrorists. They raided the holy site armed with automatic rifles and deadly grenades, killing 34 innocent pilgrims and wounding many others. A team of highly trained National Security Guards, an elite counter-terrorism unit under India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, led by Brigadier Raj Seethapathy were rushed to Gandhinagar from New Delhi. After an all-night siege, and the sad loss of two heroic commandos, the terrorists were neutralized by the NSG.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj was 170 km away in the village of Sarangpur when news of the attack broke. He was busy in a series of crucial meetings with senior sadhus. His initial response was a natural reaction to any difficulty he faced — sincere prayer. After some moments of deep contemplation, he calmly took command of the situation and marshaled his resources, while responding serenely to the flurry of phone calls from all facets of society. Everyone was in uproar and demanded a powerful retaliation to this unprovoked attack. Yet, Pramukh Swami Maharaj was a leader of different dimensions. Never ruffled, never rushed, but always resilient and reposed. He had his own way of doing things, and this crisis revealed just how much of an out-of-the-box leader he was. He personally issued a nationwide appeal for everyone to remain calm and maintain peace, and banish all thoughts of retaliation, thus preventing further social unrest. Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s exemplary response was later lauded by all and became a case study as an effective and responsible handling of such a crisis. It became known as ‘The Akshardham Response.’

 Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, President of India from 2002-2007, writes in his book, Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji, “Pramukh Swamiji showed magnanimity by not indulging in any blame game or imputing motives… Swamiji encouraged his followers to pray, not punish.” Pramukh Swami Maharaj had shown that forgiveness and non-violence is indeed the path to achieve world harmony.

Earthquake Response

The tragic events of 26 January 2001 will live long in the memory of the people of Gujarat, India. The devastating 7.7 earthquake with its epicenter in Kutch caused enormous and widespread damage and loss of life throughout Gujarat. Pramukh Swami Maharaj was in the village of Bochasan and was having breakfast when the tremors were felt at 8.46 a.m. and he received the news about the scale and spread of the disaster. He immediately began contacting the senior sadhus at BAPS centres throughout Gujarat and especially in Bhuj, instructing them to initiate emergency relief efforts. Pramukh Swami Maharaj, as a socially responsible leader took the initiative to direct all his available resources in the service of the needy.

His continued attention to detail amid the larger picture revealed an extraordinary degree of not just empathy, but compassion. He swiftly and for a prolonged period provided emotional, material and spiritual support to people of all ages and backgrounds. His leadership in the aftermath of this natural disaster was decisive and proactive. Exemplary Leader Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s innate ability to handle adversity naturally inspired confidence, loyalty and dedication in others. Over the decades, he faced countless emergencies, and tricky and sensitive situations, which he expertly navigated with an unprecedented presence of mind, compassion and in the best interests of all concerned reflecting his innate and profound spirituality. This year marks Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s centennial birth celebration year; therefore, we aim to pay a tribute to his centennial birth celebration year, through this article series.

Just like Pramukh Swami Maharaj, today, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, the present spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan continues that legacy. Through his association people have been transformed to experience inner peace. To learn more about Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s life and work, please visit: www.pramukhswami.org