Mandya: Obama and the Dalai Lama to attend inauguration of spiritual centre

An international yoga and meditation centre called the Earth Worship Centre is being planned to be set up in Hallegere, a village in the Mandya Taluk. The initiative has been undertaken by Dr Lakshmi Narasimha Murthy, whose son Dr Vivek Murthy is a surgeon in the United States of America.

He served as the Vice Admiral in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and as the 19th and 21st surgeon general of the United States under Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden. In November 2013, Murthy was nominated by President Obama for the post.  When he was relieved of his services in April 2017, he stated, “for the grandson of a poor farmer from India to be asked by the President to look out for the health of an entire nation was a humbling and unique American story. I will always be grateful to our country for welcoming my immigrant family nearly 40 years ago and giving me this opportunity to serve,” in his parting address. 

Meanwhile, the visit would likely ensure an improvement in facilities such as roads, drains, electricity and drinking water in the Hallegere village. Dr Lakshmi Narasimha Murthy had met the Chief Minister of Karnataka over the same and also to ensure a helipad for facilitating the visit.