Updated: November 29, 2020 5:20:52 pm
Jonas Masetti, a mechanical engineer, is the founder of an organization called ‘Vishva Vidya’, located in the hills of Petropolis one hour from Rio de Janeiro. (Photo: Vedanta.life)
Addressing the nation on his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio show, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the work and achievements of Jonas Masetti, a Brazilian who has been giving lessons on Vedanta and the Bhagavad Gita near Rio de Janeiro.
Speaking about the impact of Indian culture and scriptures on people around the world, Prime Minister Modi said: “Some people came to India looking for them and stayed here for life. While some returned to their countries as cultural ambassadors for India ”.
The culture of India is gaining popularity all over the world.
One such effort is by @JonasMasetti, which is based in Brazil and popularizes Vedanta and Gita among the people there.
Use technology effectively to popularize our culture and values. #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/NX4jZtPzJX
– PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 29, 2020
“I got to know the work of Jonas Masetti, also known as ‘Vishvanath’. Jonas gives lessons on Vedanta and Gita in Brazil, ”he continued explaining.
So who is Jonas Masetti?
Masetti, a mechanical engineer, is the founder of an organization called ‘Vishva Vidya’, located in the hills of Petropolis, one hour from Rio de Janeiro. It is here that he teaches hundreds of his students about ancient Indian sacred texts, including the Bhagavad Gita and Vedanta. He also teaches Sanskrit, mantras, and Vedic culture.
How was Masetti introduced to the Indian scriptures?
In the latest episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Prime Minister Modi described Masetti’s life and what attracted him to Indian culture and the study of the sacred texts of India. “After completing mechanical engineering, Jonas worked for a brokerage firm,” explained the prime minister. Later he was drawn to Indian culture, especially Vedanta. He studied Vedanta in India and spent four years at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Coimbatore.
According to his website, Masetti began to follow a spiritual path while still working in the financial market. In the years after he graduated from engineering school, he ran a consulting firm and worked with various “top management firms.” But he always wondered: “How could he have everything in life: family, girlfriend, money, professional success and at the same time not be full and satisfied?”
After seeing that other “successful” people also seemed to lack clarity and peace, he turned to spirituality for answers. It was then that he moved to India and studied Vedanta for four years under the guidance of Swami Dayananda Saraswati.
Read | Read the highlights of PM Modi’s monthly radio show ‘Mann Ki Baat’
What’s behind Masetti’s popularity?
In addition to teaching students at his institute near Rio, Masetti also reaches thousands of people online through his daily podcast, ‘Vedanta Cast’, as well as on YouTube, where he uploads videos on spirituality, the benefits of yoga and the vedas.
In a tweet shared after the episode, Prime Minister Modi praised Masetti for using technology to popularize the “culture and ethics” of India.
On Twitter and Instagram, where he has more than 34,000 followers, he shares lessons from Indian spiritual texts.
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