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From his early childhood in Bihar, India, where he was born in 1921, P.R. Sarkar has been attracting others by his deep love for humanity and guiding them along the path of self-realization. Adjusting the ancient science of Tantra Yoga to meet the needs of this age, he developed a scientific and rational spiritual philosophy and a system of practical disciplines for physical, mental and spiritual development. Recognizing him as a spiritually realized Master, his followers called him "Shrii Shrii Anandamurti" which means "He who attracts others as the embodiment of bliss," or simply "Baba" (father). Those who followed his teachings found their lives transformed as they overcame the weakness and negative tendencies of the mind and experienced a deep peace and bliss within. Inspired by his self- less example, they turned their energies to serving the society and elevating the oppressed. In 1955, while still leading a normal family life as a railway official, P.R. Sarkar formed the organization Ananda Marga ("The Path of Bliss"), and began training missionary monks and nuns to spread his teachings of "self-realization and service to humanity" all over India and later throughout the world. Reflecting the broadness of his universal vision, Ananda Marga has become a multi-faceted organization with different branches dedicated to the upliftment of humanity through education, relief, welfare, the arts, ecology, intellectual re- naissance, women's emancipation, and humanistic economy. For the collective welfare of the entire society, he propounded the theory of PROUT (Progressive Utilization Theory), which stands for the maxi- mum utilization and rational distribution of all the resources and potentialities of the world -- physical, mental and spiritual -- and the creation of a new, humanistic social order of harmony and justice for all. His uncompromising moral stand against corruption and exploitation and his demand for social justice brought about the opposition of certain vested interests and the Communist Party of India, and resulted in the persecution of Ananda Marga and his own arrest in 1971 under false charges. During his seven-year incarceration, he survived a poisoning attempt by jail officials and fasted for 5-1/2 years in protest. Ultimately acquit- ted of all charges by the High Court, he was re- leased in 1978 and since then has been guiding the rapid expansion of Ananda Marga all over the world. Now established in 160 countries with more than a million members, Ananda Marga and PROUT have become a powerful force for global social change.