History and Leadership

• Where was the Brahma Kumaris founded and when?

  It was founded in 1936 in Hyderabad, Sindh (now part of Pakistan, but at that time part of colonial India) by Dada Lekhraj, who had a series of visions depicting world transformation. In 1937, he formed a managing committee of eight young women and established an informal group that grew into the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University.

• What is the history of the Brahma Kumaris founder?

  Dada Lekhraj was a successful and much-respected jeweller. In 1936, aged 60, when most of his colleagues were planning their retirement, he entered into the most active and fascinating phase of his life, during which he became known as Brahma Baba. Drawn to invest more time in quiet reflection and solitude, he began to experience a series of powerful visions that continued periodically over several months. Through them, he received new insights into the innate qualities of human souls, the mysterious entity of God and the process of world transformation. The intensity of the messages conveyed by the visions was such that Brahma Baba felt compelled to wrap up his worldly business and devote himself to understanding the significance and application of this revealed knowledge.

  He spent the last 33 years of his life bringing people of all cultural, economic and religious backgrounds together to rediscover and develop the spiritual dimensions of their personal lives and to integrate this into their world. Brahma Baba insisted that his role was that of an instrument and example, and not that of a guru. He recognised God, the Being of Light, the Benevolent One, as the primary inspiration for the Brahma Kumaris and their work, and directed everyone’s attention towards God. After the partition of India and Pakistan he moved with the other founding members to Mt. Abu in India, where he remained until his death in 1969.

• Who currently heads the Brahma Kumaris?

  When Brahma Baba passed from this life, in January 1969, the leadership of the organisation continued with members of the original committee of young women. Today, the surviving leaders carry a powerful presence, having spent a lifetime mastering the inculcation and application of spiritual knowledge. Dadi Janki currently serves as the Chief Administrative Head of the Brahma Kumaris worldwide. Dadi Hirdaya Mohini, the Co-Administrative Head and Dadi Ratan Mohini, the additional Co-Administrative Head.

  Now in their eighties and nineties, these women, fondly called Dadis (elder sisters), serve as instruments who share a total dedication to God. Regarded as seniors, they have an immense love and regard for one another and an absolute commitment to world service.

• What does ‘Brahma Kumaris’ mean?

  Brahma Kumaris means ‘daughters of Brahma.’ Seminal to the vision of world renewal was the revelation of the important and prominent role of women as spiritual teachers. Brahma Baba correctly foresaw that core values based on traditionally feminine qualities – patience, tolerance, sacrifice, kindness and love – would increasingly become the foundation of progress in personal growth, human relations, and the development of caring communities. To maintain the emphasis on this vital core of leadership, he named the organisation the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University.