Prem Rawat's Scam Charity* PR Campaigns
Prem Rawat has come a long way from the 6 year old boy who was proclaimed to be the Lord of the Universe in 1966 in Dehra Dun in India. He now lives in opulent luxury in Malibu, California and claims to be a successful investor, inspirational speaker and philanthropist. He did his best to have his past brushed over but the internet put an end to that hope though he does his best to con google and wikipedia by releasing a string of press releases praising his donations to charity through the Prem Rawat Foundation and web pages promoting a phony vision of his life, teachings, activities and character.
Prem Rawat Does Not Fund And Has Never Funded the Prem Rawat Foundation
- Donald Trump funds the Donald J. Trump Foundation
- Bill & Melinda Gates fund the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- William and Flora Hewlett funded The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Prem Rawat does not provide funding for his eponymous foundation. Actually, the Foundation spends far more money providing him with luxury living and phony publicity than helping others, 3 times as much (see Chart below)
Prem Rawat's Elder Brother's Hans Foundation Donates 27 Times More Than TPRF To Charitable NGOs
In the last 5 years the Hans Foundation created and administered by the family of Bhole Ji Rawat has provided funding of $US63 million to Indian NGOs involved in Disabilities, Health, Women's Empowerment and Education. In the last 5 years the Prem Rawat Foundation has provided funding of $US2.3 million in similar fields. The Prem Rawat Foundation has been operating since 2002, the Hans Foundation since 2009. The Prem Rawat Foundation is named in honour of Himself. The Hans Foundation is named in honour of their father - that says a lot. The Hans Foundation, India's largest social investor helps over 250 NGOs change the game in rural India.
Most Of The Funds Of The Prem Rawat Foundation Support Prem Rawat's Luxurious Lifestyle
In the years in which the Prem Rawat Foundation has released it's annual financial report about ¼ of the money the foundation has spent has gone on charitable donations. The rest:
- is splurged on Rawat's expenses. ie Rawat's travels in his private jet, stays in the most expensive hotels and self-indulgence and pays for the PR spin and deluge of internet posts. This is classified as "Peace Initiatives" or "Peace Event Support" in the TPRF Annual Reports.
- his Message of Peace is the lure to attract the depressed and lost and keep the donations flowing from his ageing dupes
- Peace Education Program has two aims:
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- gain respect - make it appear his teachings have some value as lessons in a "self-improvement" course
- attract people to "the Knowledge" with the promise of the possibility of peace (PEAK program)

A full record of TPRF finances is available here.
2005 was the peak year for TPRF donations and despite a few lean years after 2010 revenue has stabilised. Its possible that the excitement caused by the creation of WOPG and calls for financing it helped donations to TPRF. Charitable donations tend to follow revenue fluctuations but average less than 25% of the annual income.
Until around 2001 Prem Rawat aka Maharaji espoused negative ideas about charity as did his Father. He stridently asserted that only his Knowledge could make humans happy and bring peace to the world and charitable activities were time and effort wasted that could be best spent on propagating the Knowledge and money spent on feeding the poor could best be spent on him. Once he realized he would only ever be a minor guru his objectives seemed to change. He wanted respect.
Rawat appears to have three major objectives:
- to increase his following thereby receiving more money and personal adoration and maintaining his opulent lifestyle
- to avoid publicity and media attention which would bring his history to the attention of the public and make him the butt of ridicule and contempt.
- to gain respectability and respect as an International Ambassador of Peace or at least the appearance therof
These objectives are difficult to balance together as there are inherent conflicts between them. Judging by the resources and subterfuges that have been used to try to gain him public respect and respectability over the years since that time he must feel the desire for public respect very strongly. It must hurt knowing that his eldest brother stole his birthright and has gone on to publicly succeed in politics and as a guru/Godman and having their father's legacy and wordly goods while he has been hampered and harassed by immeasurable concepts.
The Prem Rawat Foundation's donations to worthy causes are relatively small but Rawat glories in being mock humble while not stating that the amounts are really piffling. MJ: thank you very much and I didn't do anything for the tsunami. What could I do for the tsunami? Tsunami's over. I did do something for the victims of the tsunami. (Applause)
TPRF is making an effort to make sure that these people have at least food. Clean water and food are very very important. "Thank you very much. Thank you very very much." It is happening and I hope that uh it continues to happen. TPRF is doing some good stuff and trying to take care of people who need the help even though you know the greatest gift you can give anyone is a gift of joy. That is the tops, that is the greatest greatest gift. The gift of peace is the greatest gift you can give anybody. Hungry or not hungry, believe me. Peace rules. (Applause)
* Of course even the relatively small amount Rawat's organisations donate to charitable causes is of value but his claims to philanthropy are bogus because the donations are mainly used to create publicity that overstates its value and is minor compared to the money spent on promoting himself as a meaningful teacher and his religion as a method to achieve transcendent peace.
I am not saying the Prem Rawat Foundation is acting illegally. Their expenditure on Prem Rawat is accepted by the Charity Commissioners to be "educational" and a public good. That is nonsense, it is good only for Prem Rawat