Abu Dhabi November 25, 2010:  The man who is widely acclaimed as the greatest living exponent of Vedanta and best-selling author, Swami Parthasarathy delivered a ground breaking lecture in Abu Dhabi this week.

The Swami, popularly known as 'Swamiji', gave a lecture to a packed audience of students and faculty of the Higher Colleges of Technology on the importance of maintaining a proper work/life balance at Abu Dhabi Men's College campus.

Vedanta, which literally means "end of knowledge", is the ancient philosophy of life and living. For over half a century, the Swami has dedicated himself to the study, research and propagation of Vedanta and its practical application to life. He established his Vedanta Academy, near Mumbai in 1988.

During the course of work and research the Swami formulated a corporate self-management program, which has gained acceptance and use with many premier management forums, business schools and corporations world-wide.

During his lecture the Swami told the enthralled audience that although it is good to be taught how to improve your intelligence at university level, students were not taught how to use their intellect, which comes from the individual.

"The whole concepts that govern business and relationships pertain to the individual - the individual needs to know who he or she is and how they relate to people around them," the Swami said.

"Universities provide you with intelligence to make a living, but not how to live your life or how to develop your intellect. Intelligence is necessary but you need intellect to be able to reason, judge and decide things which you can only learn by yourself."

He said without developing intellect there is much depression, distress and problems in today's societies around the world.

He also told the audience that to be successful in life or business a person needed three aspects in life - concentration, consistency and cooperation. By controlling your thoughts and mind, and how you approached life and what happened in it, the Swami said it would lead to forward-thinking and success.

The Swami also stressed that people needed to get involved with service and sacrifice in their lives - by giving more and not taking. "Where a society is built on duties (service and sacrifice) it flourishes, but where it is built on rights it ends," he said.

Through his publications, such as his latest book, and lectures the Swami provides his unique insight, using Vedanta principles, to address age-old work/life balance issues, such as how to reduce stress in everyday living; increase productivity at work; maintain harmony in relationships and master the technique of living.

He has delivered lectures at many prestigious business institutions including the Wharton, Kellogg and Harvard business schools and spoken on topics such as "Managing Stress through Self-Management". He has also been featured in magazines, TV shows and newspapers such as TIME, New Yorker, Businessweek, CNBC, Sunday Times London, the New York Post and the Times of India.

In his speeches and talks the Swami puts great emphasis on individual accountability and is known for a number of quotes relevant to his treatise on Vedanta, such as "It is not the world that distresses you, but how you relate to it" and "Your home should be the center, not the boundary of your affection".

The Swami has multiple degrees in literature, science and law, and completed postgraduate studies in international law from London University.

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About the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT)
Founded in 1988 the Higher Colleges of Technology has grown to be the largest of the higher educational institutions in the UAE, gaining a well-respected reputation for innovative learning. More than 18,000 students attend 17 modern men's and women's campuses throughout the UAE.

HCT offers more than 90 different, English-taught programs in six core fields which are all relevant to the UAE's fast growing and evolving economic sectors.  The programs are designed in consultation with business and industry leaders to ensure that the students' skills are job-relevant and to high standards.

All students learn in a technologically sophisticated educational environment that encourages development of the independent and life-long learning skills necessary to success in a fast changing world.  HCT has awarded over 48,000 academic credentials to its graduates.

HCT focuses on meeting the needs of the local economy and community while at the same time meeting international benchmarks and accreditation standards.  To do this it has established active links and collaborations with major companies and entities in the UAE and with many of the world's leading universities and organizations.

Visit www.hct.ac.ae

For more information contact:
Paul Lancaster,
HCT Corporate Communications Executive,
Office of the Vice Chancellor.
Phone: 02 404 8543.
Mobile: 050 616 0964
Email: paul.lancaster@hct.ac.ae

© Press Release 2010