Cambridge, Massachusetts: Tulsi Jayanti, which commemorates the birth anniversary of Goswami Tulsidas, was celebrated outside India for the first time on Wednesday at Sanders Theatre, Harvard University, in the United States. The celebration formed part of Pujya Morari Bapu’s nine-day Ram Katha, Manas Guru Prasad.
The event also marked the first presentation of the Tulsi, Vyas, Valmiki and Ratnavali Awards outside India. Organisers have presented the awards annually in Talgajarda, Gujarat, since 2010.
Morari Bapu launched the Tulsi Jayanti tradition 16 years ago to honour scholars, saints, storytellers and cultural contributors. The initiative recognises their efforts to preserve, interpret and promote the literary and spiritual legacy of Goswami Tulsidas, the Ramcharitmanas and the Ram Katha tradition.
Tulsi Janmotsav and Global Awards Ceremony at Harvard
The Tulsi Janmotsav and Global Awards Ceremony, held at Harvard University on 19 August 2026, honoured nine distinguished scholars, spiritual leaders and cultural contributors with eight prestigious awards. The ceremony brought together saints, academics, scholars, storytellers, musicians, artists and members of the wider academic community.
Prof. Sally J. Sutherland Goldman and Prof. Robert Goldman from the University of California, Berkeley, jointly received the Valmiki Award. Prof. Madoka Fukuoka of Osaka University also received the award.
The Vyas Award recognised Columbia University professor John Stratton Hawley, US-based scholar Dr. Ashwin Bhai Kantilal Rajgor and renowned Indian spiritual speaker Devi Chitralekha.
Prof. Rupert Snell of the University of Texas at Austin and community leader Piyush Bhai Mehta received the Tulsi Award. Harvard University professor Diana L. Eck received the Ratnavali Award for her contributions to comparative religion and Indian studies. Her efforts also helped make the historic Harvard ceremony possible.
Harvard Event Highlights Global Relevance of Ramcharitmanas
The diverse backgrounds of the award recipients underline the growing global interest in India’s classical literature and spiritual traditions. The Tulsi Jayanti celebration at Harvard showcased the enduring global relevance of the Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas while connecting India’s literary heritage with an international academic and cultural audience.
Speaking at the event, Morari Bapu said, “Patram Pushpam Phalam — when we offer something at the feet of the Divine, He created the flowers we offer. He gave the leaves to the branches and produced the fruits. Yet, we take these very things and offer them back to Him. I am presenting the thoughts of my heart.”
Bapu also expressed his joy at honouring distinguished personalities associated with India’s Vyas Peeths and the Ram Katha tradition. He thanked the award recipients and said he could understand their feelings not only from their words but also through their eyes and emotions.
‘The Message of Truth, Love and Compassion Is Universal’
Pavan Popat OBE, the main organiser of the Ram Katha, said Morari Bapu’s message of truth, love and compassion resonates across cultures and borders. He said values such as acceptance, joy and love have no geographical or cultural boundaries.
Popat said bringing Tulsi Janmotsav and its prestigious awards to Harvard represents a natural step in this global journey. He added that the event introduces international audiences to the timeless wisdom of the Ramcharitmanas, whose values and ideals continue to attract growing interest worldwide.
Tulsi Jayanti Award Tradition Continues Since 2010
Morari Bapu began the Tulsi Jayanti programme in 2010 to honour individuals who have devoted their lives to preserving, interpreting and promoting the Ram Katha and Ramcharitmanas traditions.
Since then, Talgajarda in Gujarat has hosted the annual Tulsi Janmotsav, bringing together saints, scholars, storytellers and other distinguished contributors. In 2026, the tradition crossed Indian borders for the first time, bringing Tulsi Janmotsav to Harvard University in the United States and giving it a wider global platform.
Morari Bapu Has Taken Ram Katha Across the World
Morari Bapu is a renowned interpreter of the Ramayana. He has delivered Ram Katha across the world for nearly six decades. His narratives draw on sacred texts and different religious and spiritual traditions. They convey messages of peace, truth, love and compassion. People from diverse faiths and communities can participate in his Ram Katha.
Bapu began reciting the Ramcharitmanas at the age of 14. He first narrated the story before three villagers. Since then, he has taken Ram Katha across India and to countries including Sri Lanka, Indonesia, South Africa, Kenya, the United Kingdom, the United States, Brazil, Australia, Israel and Japan.
He has also organised Ram Katha programmes for diverse sections of society. These include marginalised communities, sex workers and transgender communities. He has also supported relief and assistance efforts in disaster-hit regions in India and abroad, including war-affected Ukraine.
The first international celebration of Tulsi Jayanti at Harvard University marks an important step in taking Goswami Tulsidas’ literary, spiritual and cultural legacy to a wider global audience. The event presented the timeless teachings, poetry and spiritual reflections of the Ramcharitmanas to an international audience. It also kept alive the essence of a centuries-old tradition.
