The Way to Happiness Foundation of India Awarded

June 1, 2008

The Mayor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation expressed his support for the work of The Way to Happiness Foundation of India with a special plaque thanking L. Ron Hubbard, the author of the book, for his contribution to Indian society.

Accompanying the plaque was a brass elephant, which symbolizes those things that are precious and revered in the Indian culture.

In the ancient mythology of India the Gods (Deva) and the demons (Asura) churned up the milky oceans looking for the elixir of life that would make them immortal. What appeared were the nine “navratnas” or jewels, one of which was the elephant. In later years, according to Buddhist tradition, when the Buddha-to-be decided to be born for the final time on Earth, he appeared to his mother in a dream, taking the form of a white elephant.

The Mayor’s presentation of this statue to The Way to Happiness Foundation was an expression of the importance of this booklet to the people of his city.