Satish honoured
Congressional Record: Proceedings and debates of the 109th Congress, second edition, House of Representatives
Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio, in The House of Representatives
In Honour of Satish Kumar
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honour and recognition of Satish Kumar, for a lifetime dedicated to teaching and serving as an inspiration to all. Mr. Kumar has done more, seen more, accomplished more and walked more than most and has never ceased in bringing his message to others.
“Mr. Kumar started as a Jain monk at the age of nine before being called to greater causes. At 18, Mr. Kumar sought to make Gandhi’s vision of a renewed India and peaceful world a reality. To this end Mr. Kumar walked, more than 8,000 miles, from India to four nuclear powers: Russia, France, Britain and the United States, to bring the leader of each a bag of tea and a message of peace and understanding. Carrying no money, he crossed deserts, traversed mountains, withstood snow and was even thrown in jail. Though Herculean in scale, Mr. Kumar’s quest was completed, the tea was delivered, and he is still working to bring the message of peace to the world.
“Mr. Kumar settled in England in 1973 to become the editor of >Resurgence magazine, a post he maintains to this day, as well as the founder of the Small School in Hartland. The school focuses on combining education with ecological and spiritual values. In 1991, Mr. Kumar helped found Schumacher College, an international centre for ecological studies, and serves as its Director of Programmes. Mr. Kumar has also co-founded Jain Spirit, an international magazine that provides insight and information on Jain values and teachings; and helped to establish the School of Seed, a college devoted to sustainable living in India. At 70, he still offers a week-long course on Gandhian Values.
“When Mr. Kumar was 50 years old he undertook another pilgrimage, once more with no money, he walked the holy sites in Britain: Glastonbury, Canterbury, Lindisfarne and Iona. In 2000, Mr. Kumar was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Education from the University of Plymouth and in 2001 an Honorary Doctorate in Literature from the University of Lancaster. Mr. Kumar continues to teach, lecture and run workshops on ecology, holistic education and voluntary simplicity and authors books on the same subjects.
“Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join in honour, gratitude and recognition of Satish Kumar. His never-ending quest to encourage and teach serves as an inspiration and his messages of world peace and simple living continues to affect the lives of many. I wish Mr. Kumar, his wife June Mitchell, and son, Mukti Kumar Mitchell, an abundance of health, peace and happiness as he continues his journey onward from here.”
