Jonas Masetti
Jonas Masetti | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Occupation(s) | Teacher of Vedanta, Bhagawat Gita and Yoga |
| Awards | Padma Shri (2025) |
Jonas Masetti (also known as Vishvanatha) is a Brazilian teacher of Vedanta and Yoga based in Brazil. He studied under Swami Dayananda Saraswati and teaches topics related to Vedanta and the Vedic tradition. He was awarded the Padma Shri, the highest civilian honors presented by the Government of India.[1]
Biography
[edit]Jonas Masetti was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the Military Institute of Engineering (IME) and also served in the Brazilian Army for 5 years. He then worked in a company dealing with the stock markets as a consultant of strategic consulting.[2][3]
He began his studies of Vedanta in 2004 with Santosh Vallury, an Indian teacher living in Brazil, [4]and continued his studies with Gloria Arieira, a pioneer in teaching Vedanta and Sanskrit in Brazil. In 2006, he first met Swami Dayananda Saraswati during a study trip to the United States. Subsequently, he traveled to India for in-depth studies, including a three-year residential course at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Coimbatore under Swami Dayananda Saraswati.[5][6]
Career and teachings
[edit]After completing his residential studies, Masetti returned to Brazil and began teaching Vedanta. He established the Instituto Vishva Vidya in Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, which has reached a significant number of students through online classes, retreats known as Vedanta Camps, and publications.[2]
His teachings cover Vedanta philosophy, the Gita, Sanskrit language, mantras, and other subjects related to the Vedic tradition. He has published several books on Yoga and Vedanta in Portuguese and English.[1]
Recognition
[edit]The Indian government has recognized Jonas Masetti's contributions to popularizing Vedic culture in Brazil. Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged his work in his "Mann Ki Baat" program, recognizing him as an ambassador of Vedic culture and for making the study of Vedanta and the Bhagavad Gita accessible to a large audience in Brazil, reportedly reaching over 150,000 students.[1]
In 2025, Jonas Masetti was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, for his contributions in the field of Literature & Education.[7][8][9]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "PM Modi meets engineer-turned-Vedanta teacher Masetti in Brazil, praises him for popularising Indian philosophy". Hindustan Times. 20 November 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ a b "PM Modi Meets Jonas Masetti, Whom He Mentioned In Mann Ki Baat, In Brazil". ABP NewsTimes. 20 November 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ VEDANTA Basic Concepts - Class 1.1 by Jonas Masetti (Podcast). Jonas Masetti. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
- ^ https://changemakers.indica.in/i-want-brazil-to-have-a-spiritual-legacy-like-india-vedanta-scholar-jonas-masetti/
- ^ "Meet Jonas Masetti, The Brazilian Acharya Who Teaches Bhagavad Gita Across The World And Was Praised By PM Modi". English Jagran. 29 November 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
- ^ "A History of Vedanta in Brazil - Acharya Jonas Masetti". You Tube.
- ^ "10 unsung heroes honoured with Padma awards: Celebrating excellence beyond the spotlight". Times of India. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ "Yoga practitioner from Kuwait, travel blogger couple among Padma Award recipients". India Today. 25 January 2025. Archived from the original on 29 May 2025. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
- ^ "Who is Jonas Masetti, Brazilian Vedic teacher walked barefoot to receive Padma Shri". Hindustan Times. 29 May 2025. Archived from the original on 29 May 2025. Retrieved 29 May 2025.