PM Modi lauds Brazilian engineer-turned-Vedanta teacher Masetti for popularising Indian philosophy

Rio de Janeiro: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Jonas Masetti, who is based in Brazil and popularises Vedanta and Gita among the people, and also witnessed a performance based on the Ramayan during his visit here.

Modi met Masetti, also known as Vishwanath, after he attended the G20 Summit here. He then left for Guyana for the final leg of his three-nation trip.

“Met Jonas Masetti and his team. I had mentioned him during one of the #MannKiBaat programmes for his passion towards Vedanta and the Gita. His team presented glimpses of the Ramayan in Sanskrit,” Modi posted on X along with the photos.

“It is commendable how Indian culture is making an impact all over the world,” Modi added.

Masetti, dressed in a white dhoti and a tilak on his forehead, was present along with his troupe.

As mentioned by Modi in his post on X, he had lauded Masetti in his Mann Ki Baat on November 29, 2020 and highlighted how his was an effort to popularise the culture of India.

“@JonasMasetti, who is based in Brazil and popularises Vedanta as well as Gita among people there. He uses technology effectively to popularise our culture and ethos. #MannKiBaat,” Modi had posted on X then.

According to the post, Masetti is a mechanical engineer, who worked in a company dealing with stock market, but later found a calling in Indian culture, especially Vedanta, a journey described by Modi during the Mann Ki Baat as “a long journey from stocks to spirituality.” He runs an institute called 'Vishwavidya' in Brazil at Petropolis in the hills about an hour's drive from the capital here. He has studied Vedanta in India and uses technology to propagate his message and conducts regular online programmes.

“He has taught his 'Free Open Course' to more than 1.5 lakh students during the last seven years,” Modi said in that talk.