Ravi Shankar is a spiritual leader and the founder of the Art of Living Foundation. His birthday is on May 13th. He was born in 1956 in Papanasam, Tamil Nadu, India. Ravi Shankar has dedicated his life to spreading the message of peace, love, and compassion through his teachings and humanitarian efforts. He has been honored with numerous awards and accolades for his contributions to society, including the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award.

Ravi Shankar was an Indian musician and composer who is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Indian classical music. He was a virtuoso sitar player and was instrumental in popularizing Indian classical music in the West. 

Ravi Shankar was born in Varanasi, India on April 7, 1920 and spent his youth performing across Europe and India as a member of his brother Uday's dance troupe. He went on to perform at some of the most prestigious venues in the world, including Carnegie Hall in New York City and the Royal Albert Hall in London. Shankar also collaborated with a number of Western musicians, including George Harrison of the Beatles, and helped to introduce Indian classical music to a global audience. He died in 2012 at the age of 92, but his legacy lives on in the countless musicians and music lovers who continue to be inspired by his work.

Ravi Shankar had a fascinating upbringing.  He was a member of the Bengali brahmin community and was born on April 7, 1920, in Benares (also known as Varanasi or Kashi).  Kalia, which is now in Bangladesh, is where his ancestors originally came from.  His early years were filled with music and culture.  He had previously performed on various instruments as a child and even sang at school events.

His father and brother (Uday Shankar) left India when Ravi Shankar was quite little and settled in Europe.  This made it possible for Ravi Shankar to integrate into European culture.  He relocated to Paris in 1930 to join his brother's troupe.

The impression Paris made on the young Ravi Shankar was profound.  In Paris, he continued his schooling, but more significantly, he gained a lot of knowledge from his surroundings.  On the one hand, his brother's troupe exposed him to Indian music and dance.  Equally important was his familiarity with Western customs.  He would eventually become a formidable force in the music industry thanks to these combined abilities. He returned to India in 1938 to start his formal training.  He became an apprentice of Baba, also known as Ustad Allauddin Khan.  Under his capable instruction, he spent several years teaching him how to play the sitar.

Ravi Shankar started his professional career when his apprenticeship was complete.  He started making a name for himself in radio and pictures around this time.  He wrote the soundtrack for films like Neecha Nagar and Dharti ke Lal.  Additionally, he wrote the music for Mohd Iqbal's Sare Jahan Se Accha, still the most well-known rendition.  He joined All In India Radio in Delhi as music director in 1949.  In addition, he kept going back and forth between the West and India.

For him, 1966 was a crucial year.  George Harrison of the Beatles enrolled in his classes at this time.  This connection helped Ravi Shankar gain worldwide recognition.  His appearances at Woodstock and Monterey as well as his numerous records won him the unwavering respect of a generation.

He has won several  awards including the Bharat Ratna, several Grammy awards, numerous honorary Doctorates. But it hasn't always been simple for him.  His mother passed away while he was very young, and he had many challenges throughout his early career.  His first marriage to Annapurna Devi ended in divorce, and his son passed away too soon.  Many individuals would find it difficult to cope with these challenges.