Jonas Masetti AKA Acharya Vishwanath, a foreign mechanical engineer, who is attracted to Indian yoga and spirituality, has received the most prestigious and India’s fourth-highest civilian award – “Padma Shri” from the Indian government this year. He stands as an ideal at a time when we are losing touch with out soil due to Western civilization and forgetting our culture, traditions, and Indian roots. Jonas Masetti, a Brazilian, received this award for his efforts in promoting Vedanta philosophy and the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita worldwide.

Jonas Masetti’s personal life, why he turned to spirituality, his experiences at Swami Dayananda Saraswati’s ashram and his efforts in teaching Vedic knowledge are of great interest to many today. Hence, this story is being presented.

Transformation Towards A Acharya

Jonas Masetti, who worked as a mechanical engineer, later chose the spiritual path and studied Vedanta at the Swami Dayananda Saraswati Ashram in India. Later, he returned to Brazil and founded an organization called "Vishva Vidya" and teaches Vedic knowledge.

Search for “True Meaning” in Life!

Although he was earning a good income working as a mechanical engineer and living a very satisfying life in Western society, both financially and socially, he felt something missing inside him. Although he had friends, family, and money, he realized that it is not a true meaning of life. After noticing that those around him were also not completely satisfied, he began to explore other ways to find happiness.

Metamorphosis Towards Spirituality

According to his own experiences, Jonas Masetti found that in Western society, people use sleeping pills and are under a lot of stress. He felt that this modern and Western way of life would not give him satisfaction. As part of this search, he was drawn to yoga and Vedanta. Initially, he worked as a yoga teacher for some time. Later, as his spiritual thoughts grew, he became a Vedanta teacher. In this process, a turning point in his life took place, which led him towards a spiritual journey. This transformation may involve many distinct stages, but this "metamorphosis" shaped him as an "Acharya", a transformation similar to a caterpillar into a butterfly. 

Experiences at Dayananda Saraswati Ashram

As part of his spiritual search, Jonas Masetti came to India. He studied Vedanta, Sanskrit and the Bhagavad Gita in depth at the Swami Dayananda Saraswati Ashram (Arsha Vidya Gurukulam) in Coimbatore. He received comprehensive training in this ashram for three and a half years. This period completely changed his life. Here he fully understood the Vedanta philosophy, which earned him the title of "Acharya". He says that this training made him a completely new person, that he felt like he was reborn. Since then, he has changed his name to Vishwanath.

Teaching Vedic Knowledge is the Ultimate Goal

After completing his studies at the ashram, Jonas Masetti returned to Brazil and began teaching Vedanta. He founded an institution called "Vishva Vidya" in the hills of Petrópolis, near Rio de Janeiro. Through this institution, he offers courses on topics related to Vedanta, Sanskrit, the Bhagavad Gita, meditation, mantras, and other Vedic traditions.

His teachings reach a large number of students through online classes, Vedanta camps, and publications. In just seven years, he has attracted nearly 1.5 million students worldwide. He combines Vedic knowledge with technology to bring it to the masses. He translates and teaches the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads in Portuguese.

Jonas Masetti is a bridge between Brazil and the Western world for the teachings of Vedanta, especially the Bhagavad Gita. His teachings are characterized by clarity, simplicity and a deep respect for Indian tradition. He emphasizes how to apply Vedic knowledge to modern life. He also runs a social project called "Pequena Tribo" (Small Tribe) to provide spiritual teachings to underprivileged children through sports.

Mention in PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised Jonas Massetti in his "Mann Ki Baat" program, recognizing his efforts in spreading Indian culture around the world. This recognition helped him to be awarded the Padma Shri in 2025.