Sri. Khushwant Singh, Author and journalist

In all my life I have not met a warmer personality than Her [Amma]. Even an agnostic like me had great difficulty in holding back my tears.

— Sri. Khushwant Singh,
Author and journalist
Amritapuri Visitor’s Diary, Amritapuri, 1993

Alice Walker, Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

Amma presents the kind of leadership we need for our planet to survive. This is the most heroic person I’ve probably ever met. Because she is sitting there hugging people. This is the most heroic thing that any of us could do now. Because shooting each other is not heroic. The most heroic is caring, and she does that.

– Alice Walker,
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

Dr. Steven C. Rockefeller

When I think of Amma and her life of devotion and service, I see a shining example for all of us of the spirit of reverence, compassion and care.

Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chairman, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Amma is truly such an enormous fountain of energy and love and compassion. I think if all of us were to get even a fraction of it within our own beings, there would be only joy in the whole world… Whatever little I can do with her inspiration, I will strive my best to accomplish it. –

– Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri
Chairman, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 while Dr. Pachauri served as IPCC Chairman).

Andrew Cohen, spiritual teacher and founder of the magazine What is Enlightenment

For me Amma is the ideal. She is the yardstick. She is the measurement to which all of us [must hold ourselves], whether we are beginners on the spiritual path or matured seekers. She always shows that you can give more love, show more compassion. Amma is the greatest living saint on this planet. I met many Masters, but in Amma I see a combination of unconditional love and ferocious determination and an indomitable spirit. Her example is peerless. – Barcelona, 13 July 2004

– Andrew Cohen,

spiritual teacher and founder of the magazine What is Enlightenment?
Barcelona, 13 July 2004

Sri. Sanjay Gupta, Managing Director, Dainik Jagran

Amma is playing a transformative and inspirational role to help people cross a lot of barriers of religion and caste so they can be spiritually uplifted. – Kochi, 25 September 2003

—Sri. Sanjay Gupta,

Managing Director,
Dainik Jagran, a leading Hindi daily newspaper, during Amritavarsham50, Kochi, 25 September 2003

Sri. N.V.R. Nathan, Director, IILM Institute for Higher Education

What I have seen Amma doing is way beyond what most are able to achieve in such a short time. She is actually touching the heart of the people. She is able to make everyone realise that it is one’s duty to work for humanity.

– Sri. N.V.R. Nathan
Director, IILM Institute for Higher Education
during Amritavarsham50, Kochi, 26 September 2003

Dr. Timothy Conway, author of Women of Power & Grace

She [Amma] is one of the most glorious lights to appear in the history of religion. Just her stamina—embracing these millions of people one by one, day after day, without a break, all over the world—is some kind of divine gift. No mere human resources could accomplish this.

—Dr. Timothy Conway, Ph.D.,

author of Women of Power & Grace

Dr. K.S. Fathima Beevi, Syndicate Member, Mahatma Gandhi University

When we go to Amma for darshan, we forget what is happening around us. When Amma hugs us, we feel it to be something special that we have never got from anyone else. Her love, smile, kiss and the way She talks to us are things I cannot describe. Her love is forever.”

—Dr. K.S. Fathima Beevi , Lecturer,

Government College, Tripunithura, Kerala
Syndicate Member, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, during Amritavarsham50, Kochi, 25 September 2003

Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam, Indian classical dancer

Amma symbolises the truth and beauty of life.

—Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam,

Indian classical dancer,
during Amritavarsham50
Kochi, Kerala, 24 September 2003