The embrace is something that she does physically and spiritually, but all the kind of help she has offered to people around the planet is an embrace of its own sort. Her embrace is about love, but it is also about taking that love and sharing it in a practical manner.

-Michael Feinstein

Mayor of Santa Monica, California
18 June 2009

I want to share with you what I have learned from Amritapuri: Giving. That is the message I get from Amritapuri. Go on giving. You can give. It’s not only money. You can share knowledge. You can remove the pain. And you can even go to the person who is suffering. Every one of us — the rich and poor — can give. There is no greater message than Amma’s giving to all the people of this region, and Kerala, and India, and to the world.

—Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, President of India, While inaugurating Amrita Setu in 2006, Amritapuri

Amma, your message has touched us all. I hope that you will continue to come back to us here in Canada, and thank you again for giving so tremendously much to us.

-Dr. Rudy Dhalla

Member of Canadian Parliament (welcoming Amma to Canada)
23 July 2008, Toronto, Canada

Actually, your real darshan of Amma will come when the mother in your house is happy, and your sister and daughter are smiling and secure. When Amma holds you close to her heart, she is awakening the motherhood and fatherhood within you.

– Smt. Suryakanta Patil,

Minister of State for Rural Development, Govt. of India
28 February 2008, Mumbai

The world today needs solid proof that our human values are useful, that such qualities as compassion, selflessness, renunciation and humility have the power to create a great and prosperous society. Amma’s work provides us with the much-needed proof.”

– Sri. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Honourable Prime Minister of India

during the inauguration of Amrita Insitute of Medical Sciences & Research Center,
Kochi, Kerala, 17 May 1998

Amma has taken this Swachha Bharat campaign very proactively on her own shoulders. Inspired by various great people and humanitarian leaders like Amma, this campaign has gained immense strength and has transformed from being a campaign into a mass movement.

Prime Minister of India – 2018

She is a great person. She has done tremendous work for the poor and downtrodden, which most Mahatmas do not do. Most are going for big people. Amma is going for small people, the common people. This is a great thing. She is effecting jobs, effecting education—this is God’s work.

– Sri. Brijesh Misra

National Security Advisor of India New Delhi, 17 March 2004

Her hug has a wonderful power… Amma’s teachings can be put into practice in every country, and with her hug She brings consolation to many people..

– Riitta Uosukainen

Head of Parliament of Finland 7 October 2000, Helsinki

Amma does fantastic work for communal harmony. She does great service to human beings, without any difference of class, creed, religion or nationality. I was really moved by Her work. I was overcome by emotions when I met Her. I was moved! She is wonderful!

– Smt. Amisha Beagun Mirza

Honourable Mayor of Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, 10 March 2004

Amma please bless us. You are an epitome of love. Make us worthy of the love you are giving us. Please bless the new project to uplift the women of Mumbai, that we are undergoing

– Dr. Mrs. Indu Shahani

The sheriff of Mumbai
28 February 2008

We love Amma not because of who She is, but because of who we become in Her presence.

– Smt. Uma Bharati

Honourable Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh,
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, 12 March 2004

I feel that Amma is not an individual. Amma is the visible form of India’s grand mission. Amma is the visible form of fulfilment of hopes and desires of crores of poor people.

26 Sep 2013, Amritapuri : Amritavarsham60

It has been indeed a great privilege for my wife and myself to have had the darshan of Amma. I am sure that our lives will be enhanced. Her presence will help us in following her teachings and her example. Amma’s vision is to do everything that is possible to alleviate suffering.

-Anerud Jugnauth

Mauritius President
9 April 2009

Amma has come to symbolize spiritualism, philanthropy, service to the poor and the art of giving.

Sri. Arun Jaitley – Finance Minister, India, accepting  Rs.100 Crore donation for ‘Namami Gange’ project at Amritapuri 11 Sep 2015

Amma is a very, very transparent personality. She is in the real sense a “mother.” And as a mother, she loves all of the universe. She blesses us all. She gives strength to the individual, to the system and to the spiritual. That is how I feel!

– Sri. Narendra Modi

Honourable Chief Minister of Gujarat
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 10 March 2004

You are all blessed because you are constantly showered with the blessings of Amma. The ambience of her colleges is sufficient to instil in you the values of life. Her divine mission should be your inspiration to make right use of life and add value to society

– His Excellency Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, President of India

Talking to students at Amrita Schools of Medicine, Kochi, Kerala, 17 November 2002

Amma has taught us the religion that takes us from ‘I’ to ‘we’; the religion that joins ‘self’ to the ‘whole’; the religion that teaches us to look at a needy person not with sympathy but with compassion; the religion that teaches us that we should share whatever we have with the others.

Chief Minister of Gujarat – 2008

Amma is laying the foundation of Modern India.

26 Sep 2013, Amritapuri : Amritavarsham60

Several of her schemes reflect her bondless love for every soul. Amma’s work has refined the lives of millions; she is a woman of action and not just words.”

– His Excellency Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Vice-President of India

during Amritavarsham50 celebrations, Kochi, Kerala, 27 September 2003

These two qualities have been her strength – Devotion to God and Dedication to the Poor; is thus, the message which I have personally taken from my association with Amma.

27 Sep 2016, Amritapuri

Mata Amritanandamayi is the cultural ambassador of India.

– Sri. Pon Radhakrishnan

Honourable Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs of India, 2002

Kerala may be the centre of Amma’s activities, but her spiritual consciousness enfolds all of humanity, the entire universe is her field of action.

Chief Minister of Gujarat – 2004

I regard Amritavarsham50 [Amma’s 50th Birthday Celebrations] as something unprecedented, as people from 191 UN countries have come together. While agriculture energizes, industry enriches and knowledge enlightens, spirituality personified in Amma elevates us.

“There are people who can expound eloquently on all the scriptures and explain all their nuances, but rare are those who live the life described in these scriptures. Sri Mata Amritanandamayi belongs to this rare category of enlightened souls.”

– Sri. L.K. Advani

Honourable Deputy Prime Minister of India
during Amritavarsham50, Kochi, Kerala, 24 September 2003

Amma’s approach is to totally remove the suffering of the people. Amma’s mission is to comfort and uplift humanity by developing and upgrading their skills.

– Sri. Sarad Pawar

President of the Congress Party in Maharashtra,
Member of the Parliament of India Pune, 29 February 2004

We are fortunate enough to live in a century when a divine personality like Amma is moving about in the globe. Divinity is manifested in the person of Amma. The Indian concept of Jagadamba [Mother of the world]—this is what Amma embodies.
While the governments lag behind in providing these facilities, Amma has worked wonders. Amma’s service to the entire humanity is fast-expanding, and it is wholehearted and selfless. She expects nothing in return. Divinity Herself has come to help humanity.

– Dr. Murali Manohar Joshi

Honourable Minister for Human Resources of India
during Amritavarsham50, Cochin, Kerala, 26 September 2003

Amma has brought these spiritual heights not just to India but to the whole world. The whole world has accepted her as its ‘Amma.’ By establishing her organization throughout the world, she has projected India to the world—through her life, through the various activities of her ashram.

Chief Minister of Gujarat – 2008

Amma is a pearl in India’s Guru tradition.

Chief Minister of Gujarat – 2004

The greatest miracle that takes place in Amma’s presence occurs in the hearts of those who come to her. Amma has inspired many humanitarian activities that have drawn the attention of the world community. Now, therefore, I, Mayor Jim L. Fausett, proclaim July 2nd and 3rd 2008 to be the ‘Days of Amma the Hugging Saint’ in the city of Coralville.

-J. Fausett

Mayor Coralville, Iowa, USA
3 July 2008

Amma, through the medium of seva, has sparked a process of spiritual awakening. Amma has taught us the religion that teaches us to look at a needy person not with sympathy but with compassion. Amma has brought the lineage great rishis to us today.

-Sri. Narendra Modi

Chief minister of Gujarat
Ahmadabad, Gujarat 4 March 2008

Amma has dedicated her life in helping others, Amma is living proof that equality and the belief that people should not be discriminated against due to their gender, race or cast is a universal one. Amma understands that we all need to find ways of respecting human dignity in each and every one of us.

-Lynne Featherstone

British Member of Parliament
London, 27 Oct 2008

There are things, that you cannot… The hug was heartfelt and warm. Her humanitarian work is incredibly extensive.

– Ms. Tanja Karpela

Honourable Cultural Minister of Finland

Amma, you showed me the path.

– Shri. Madanlal Khurana

Governor of Rajasthan on 15 March 2004. Explaining to Amma how She was the inspiration behind his distribution of Rs. 250,000 each week to his state’s poor and suffering.

What a great privilege and a great honour to join in welcoming such an incredible force of good in a world that is troubled to Michigan. We look to our leaders like Amma to find courage and introspection and we thank her for her great leadership and for being here.

-Andy Meisner

US Congressman for Michigan, USA
4 Dec 2008

What has attracted me most is Amma’s simple teaching through Amma’s simple language, that even the common man can understand and benefit from.

27 Sep 2016, Amritapuri

At a time when security and peace issues dominate the international agenda, her actions and activities are a beacon of light and inspiration to Australians and people all over the world.

– Mr. Simon Crean

Member of Parliament of Australia and former head of the Opposition, 2003

The foreign philanthropists and devotees, they are giving every year, more than 4055 laks of rupees ($8.6 million, US). to touch the substratum of society of this country. I have only come across only this math [M.A.M] which is touching the substratum of the society, providing houses and all other benefits for the destitute, women, and handicapped.

– Sri. V.S. Rao

Honourable Union Minister of State of Home Affairs of India
Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, January 2002

I count myself fortunate enough to be one among many millions of Ma’s devotees. Your benevolence and magnanimity is universal, which transcends all geographical and man-made barriers, serving entire humanity with all-embracing compassion. Hence, may I, most respectfully, request your divine intervention and merciful blessings to cleanse my motherland of this horrendous scourge of violence, thereby ushering an era of everlasting peace and prosperity.

-Mahinda Rajapaksa

The President of Sri Lanka
23 December 2008, officially hand-delivered letter to Amma

There is no field of humanitarian activity where Amma’s ashram has not been involved.

“This is from my own experience. Amma has a special power to sponge up one’s pains. Her presence has brought values of love and compassion back to a strife-torn society..Till date, Amma has not uttered a single word that has hurt anybody. She has always been kind to everyone, even those who have hurt her.

– Sri. A.K. Antony,

Honourable Chief Minister of Kerala
during Amritavarsham50, Kochi, Kerala, 24 September 2003

There was a time in this country, when there was a terrific line of distinction between higher-lower, touchable-untouchable. Today, we should take pride in the fact that a person like Amma, who was not born in one of society’s upper echelons, has become the centre of sraddha [faith] and prem [love] for even the upper echelons of society.

Chief Minister of Gujarat – 2004

What Swami Vivekananda said 150 years ago – ‘I can see today right in front of my eyes – that In coming days, my Mother India will emerge as the world leader.’ Today, I have to believe those words as the truth.

26 Sep 2013, Amritapuri : Amritavarsham60