1977

4 JANUARY

Sri Chinmoy returned to New York from Miami.

5 JANUARY

Kenyan President Jomo Kenyatta disbanded parliament.

7 JANUARY

Sri Chinmoy met with Robert Muller, Director and Deputy to the Under-Secretary-General for Inter-Agency Affairs and Co-ordination at the UN.

19 JANUARY

Snow fell in Miami for the first time in its history.

19 JANUARY

The world’s largest gathering of human beings – 12.7 million people – took place at the Kumbha Mela religious festival in Allahabad, India.

20 JANUARY

Jimmy Carter was sworn in as President of the USA.

20 JANUARY

Sri Chinmoy was a guest at the Inaugural Day Prayer Service, held at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

21 JANUARY

Sri Chinmoy held a memorial programme for U Thant at the UN on the anniversary of his birth.

26 JANUARY

Sri Chinmoy visited the CN Tower in Toronto and offered an esraj concert at the University of Toronto.

27 JANUARY

President Carter pardoned almost 10,000 Vietnam War draft evaders.

5 FEBRUARY

Sri Chinmoy composed 7 songs dedicated to the United Nations.

6 FEBRUARY

The Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II of England.

8 FEBRUARY

An earthquake measuring 5.0 struck San Francisco.

16 FEBRUARY

The USSR performed a nuclear test at Sary Shagan in Kazakhstan, USSR.

16 FEBRUARY–17 JULY

Sri Chinmoy gave 12 lectures at US universities on the East Coast.

17 FEBRUARY

Sri Chinmoy received a letter of greeting from Walter F. Mondale, Vice-President of the US.

18 FEBRUARY

A bronze bust of U Thant was presented to Sri Chinmoy by prominent UN official Robert Muller and sculptor Domenico Mazzone.

19 FEBRUARY

France performed a nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll in the Pacific.

23-25 FEBRUARY

Sri Chinmoy visited Puerto Rico.

2 MARCH

Sri Chinmoy offered a meditation and esraj concert at Rockland County Community College.

5 MARCH

Sri Chinmoy offered a public meditation and esraj concert at Loyola College, Montreal.

6 MARCH

Sri Chinmoy offered a public meditation and esraj concert at the University of Laval, Quebec City.

7 MARCH

Sri Chinmoy met with UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim and offered him his book on U Thant.

8 MARCH

Sri Chinmoy offered a meditation and esraj concert at Columbia University, NY.

9 MARCH

Sri Chinmoy offered a meditation and esraj concert at Queens College, NY.

10 MARCH

The rings of Uranus were discovered.

11 MARCH

Sri Chinmoy was interviewed by Brian Saxton, the BBC’s UN correspondent.

12 MARCH

Egypt’s President Anwar Sadat pledged to regain Arab territory from Israel.

15 MARCH

Sri Chinmoy cooked a 22-course meal for 465 of his students.

16 MARCH

President Carter pleaded for a Palestinian homeland.

16 MARCH

Sri Chinmoy read a selection of his poetry at New York University.

19 MARCH

France performed a nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll.

21 MARCH

Sri Chinmoy received a letter of appreciation from Paul O’Dwyer, President of the City Council of NY.

22 MARCH

Indira Gandhi revoked Emergency rule and resigned as Prime Minister of India.

24 MARCH

Morarji Desai became Prime Minister of India.

24 MARCH

Sri Chinmoy appeared on WNBC-TV’s ‘The First Estate: Religion in Review’ hosted by Russell Barber.

25 MARCH

Sri Chinmoy offered a public concert at the Ethical Culture Society of New York.

28 MARCH

The film ‘Rocky’ won an Academy Award.

28 MARCH

Sri Chinmoy played his esraj on ‘This Morning Show’, Channel 3 TV, Hartford, Connecticut.

29 MARCH

Sri Chinmoy offered a meditation and esraj concert at the State University of NY at New Paltz.

4 APRIL

Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and President Jimmy Carter held their first meeting.

5 APRIL

The US performed a nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.

8 APRIL

Sri Chinmoy was a guest on the ‘Steve Powers Show’, WMCA Radio, NY.

13 APRIL

Sri Chinmoy offered a 13-hour meditation.

15 APRIL

Sri Chinmoy offered a public meditation at Hunter College, NY.

16 APRIL

The first Apple II personal computer was introduced at the West Coast Computer Faire.

18 APRIL

The 81st Boston Marathon was won by Jerome Drayton of Canada in 2:14:46 and Miki Gorman of California in 2:48:33.

21 APRIL

Zia ur-Rahman was appointed President of Bangladesh.

21 APRIL

Brendan T. Byrne, Governor of New Jersey, wrote to Sri Chinmoy to congratulate him on the completion of his 300th book.

23 APRIL

Czechoslovakian chess master Vastimil Hort played 201 games simultaneously and only lost ten.

24 APRIL

Sri Chinmoy was interviewed a second time by Russell Barber on NBC-TV’s ‘The First Estate: Religion in Review’.

25 APRIL

The USSR performed a nuclear test at Semipalitinsk in Eastern Kazakhstan, USSR.

27 APRIL

Bloody riots took place in Soweto, South Africa.

30 APRIL

Sri Chinmoy painted a 13 x 70-foot canvas, titled ‘C.K.G. Transcends’, in 2 hours and 29 minutes at JFK High School, NY.

1 MAY

Chantal Langlacé of France set a new women’s marathon record of 2:35:15.4.

3 MAY

Sri Chinmoy painted a special 6 x 8-foot work to honour the United Nations.

4 MAY

Sri Chinmoy gave a concert at Pace University, White Plains.

14 MAY

Sri Chinmoy offered an esraj concert at Buffalo State University.

15 MAY

Sri Chinmoy offered a concert at the State University of NY in Fredonia.

19 MAY

The final run of the Paris to Istanbul Orient Express (begun in 1883) left Paris.

23 MAY

President Carter presented an environment message to Congress.

23 MAY

Sri Chinmoy and his students offered a concert at New York’s Town Hall.

24 MAY

USSR President Podgorny resigned.

25 MAY

The US performed a nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.

25 MAY

The film ‘Star Wars’ opened and became the highest grossing film of all time.

26 MAY

George Willig ‘The Human Fly‘ climbed the 110-story South Tower of the New York City World Trade Center.

28-29 MAY

Sri Chinmoy cycled 175 miles in the 24-hour Pepsi-Cola Bicycle Marathon held in Central Park, and 135 of his students also participated in the event, which attracted a field of 9,000 cyclists.

29 MAY

The USSR performed a nuclear test at Semipalitinsk in Eastern Kazakhstan, USSR.

30 MAY

Articles about the Pepsi-Cola Bicycle Marathon appeared in The New York Times and the New York Daily News. Both articles mentioned the contribution of Sri Chinmoy and his team.

3 JUNE

Sri Chinmoy gave an outdoor concert at Damrosch Amphitheater, Lincoln Center, NY.

6 JUNE

The Washington Post reported that the US had developed a neutron bomb.

7 JUNE

Sri Chinmoy hosted a programme to honour the UN Security and Safety Service.

11 JUNE

Sri Chinmoy’s first public flute performance, Greenwich Public Library, Connecticut.

13 JUNE

Sri Chinmoy took up the game of tennis.

16 JUNE

Leonid Brezhnev was named President of the USSR.

17 JUNE

Sri Chinmoy offered a concert at the North Shore Unitarian Church in Plandome, NY.

18 JUNE

Sri Chinmoy offered concerts at Cape Cod Community College, Hyannis, Massachusetts, and at Salve Regina College in Newport, Rhode Island.

21 JUNE

Menachem Begin became Prime Minister of Israel.

21 JUNE

Sri Chinmoy offered a concert and talk at Trinity Church, Boston.

22 JUNE

Sri Chinmoy offered a concert at Rutgers University, Newark, NJ.

25 JUNE

Sri Chinmoy offered a concert at Southampton Community College, Long Island, NY.

26 JUNE

Elvis Presley gave his last-ever concert.

27 JUNE

Sri Chinmoy offered a concert at Western Connecticut State College, Danbury, CT.

28 JUNE

Sri Chinmoy offered a concert at Brooklyn College, NY.

JUNE

Guillermo Villas won the men’s singles title at the French Open.

1-20 JULY

Sri Chinmoy offered 100 talks, published as Everest-Aspiration.

1-31 JULY

Sri Chinmoy offered 28 concerts at universities and colleges, during which he performed on esraj, flute, violin, cello and harmonium.

2 JULY

Bjorn Borg defeated Jimmy Connors to win the men’s singles title at Wimbledon.

4 JULY

Sri Chinmoy and his students participated in an Independence Day Service on the theme of human rights, held at Trinity Church, NY.

5 JULY

Pakistan’s army under General Mohammad Zia ul-Haq seized power.

7 JULY

The US successfully tested a neutron bomb.

11 JULY

The Medal of Freedom was awarded posthumously to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

13 JULY

The New York City area was hit by a 25-hour blackout.

17 JULY

In Washington, Sri Chinmoy was interviewed in Bengali by Voice of America. The interview was broadcast throughout India and Bangladesh.

20 JULY

The UN Security Council voted to admit Vietnam to the UN.

23 JULY

Junius Richard Jayewardene was elected Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

26 JULY

The USSR performed an underground nuclear test.

29 JULY

Sri Chinmoy offered a commemorative tribute to Dag Hammarskjöld at the UN.

31 JULY

Sri Chinmoy completed the last in a special series of 28 concerts given during the month of July in the NY metropolitan area and Washington DC.

3 AUGUST

Archbishop Makarios (b. 1913), President of Cyprus, died.

4 AUGUST

The US performed a nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.

13 AUGUST

Sri Chinmoy completed 630 rhyming poems in 24 hours, published as A Soulful Cry Versus a Fruitful Smile.

16 AUGUST

Elvis Presley (b. 1935), the ‘King’ of rock-n-roll, died.

19 AUGUST

Comedian Groucho Marx died at age 86.

19 AUGUST

The USSR performed a nuclear test at Sary Shagan, USSR.

27 AUGUST

Sri Chinmoy’s 46th birthday. Queens Borough President Donald Manes proclaimed ‘Sri Chinmoy Day’ for the second consecutive year. Councilman Povman presented Sri Chinmoy with the proclamation.

31 AUGUST

Sri Chinmoy completed 401 rhyming poems, later published as From the Source to the Source.

1 SEPTEMBER

The USSR performed a nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya, USSR.

10 SEPTEMBER

Sri Chinmoy painted ‘Journey’s Battle-Victory’, a 13 x 25-foot canvas, in 47 minutes.

10 SEPTEMBER

Christa Vahlensieck of Germany set a new world record in the women’s marathon of 2:34:47.5.

11 SEPTEMBER

Guillermo Villas defeated Jimmy Connors to win the men’s singles title at the US Open.

12 SEPTEMBER

In South Africa, political dissident Steven Biko died in police custody. His death led to international protests and a UN-imposed arms embargo on South Africa.

15 SEPTEMBER

The US performed a nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.

16 SEPTEMBER

The United Nations Meditation Group dedicated a small island in the East River adjacent to the UN as ‘U Thant Island’ in memory of the late Secretary-General. U Thant’s daughter was in attendance. Hugh Carey, Governor of New York, commended this initiative.

21 SEPTEMBER

Sri Chinmoy received the World Gratitude Day plaque from Edna Lemle, founder of the organisation.

23 SEPTEMBER

Sri Chinmoy observed the 80th birthday of Pope Paul VI at the UN.

28 SEPTEMBER

Sri Chinmoy held a reception for Mayor Beame of New York at the Sri Chinmoy art exhibition in Grand Central Station.

29 SEPTEMBER

Sri Chinmoy met with Muhammad Ali in New York on the morning of his world heavyweight championship fight with Earnie Shavers. Ali later won the fight in 15 rounds.

30 SEPTEMBER

A photograph of Sri Chinmoy meditating with Muhammad Ali appeared in The New York Times.

30 SEPTEMBER

The USSR performed a nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya, USSR.

SEPTEMBER

Sri Chinmoy’s canvas ‘Journey’s Battle-Victory’ was displayed as a billboard near Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco as part of an exhibition of 17 works commissioned by the Eyes and Ears Foundation in conjunction with the Museum of Modern Art, SF.

1 OCTOBER

Sri Chinmoy went to the Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey to watch the famed Brazilian soccer champion Pele play his last game.

2 OCTOBER

The first public Sri Chinmoy Race was held in Greenwich, Connecticut. The distance was 10.5 miles. There were 150 participants.

4 OCTOBER

Sri Chinmoy offered a programme in honour of US President Jimmy Carter at the UN.

7 OCTOBER

Sri Chinmoy met with Lillian Carter, mother of the US President, in Americus, Georgia, and then offered a concert in her honour.

14 OCTOBER

Singer-Actor Bing Crosby (b. 1903) died.

15 OCTOBER

Don Ritchie ran 100 miles in 11:30:51, setting a new world record.

18 OCTOBER

Sri Chinmoy offered a concert at Carnegie Recital Hall in Manhattan.

22 OCTOBER

During a reception held at the UN for Olympic and world class runners, the president of the New York City Road Runners Club, Fred Lebow, presented Sri Chinmoy with a special medal of appreciation for his services to running. Sri Chinmoy’s song ‘Marathon’ was performed for the first time before an audience of international runners, including Lasse Viren, Chantal Langlace, Miki Gorman, Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers and Ron Hill.

23 OCTOBER

The 8th New York City Marathon was won by Bill Rodgers in 2:11:38 and Miki Gorman in 2:43:10.

24 OCTOBER

On the occasion of United Nations Day, Sri Chinmoy received a Distinguished Service Award from the United Nations Association of the USA.

24-27 OCTOBER

Sri Chinmoy visited Puerto Rico.

25 OCTOBER

Sri Chinmoy attended the Colgate-Borinquen Tennis Classic and watched Billie Jean King playing with Rosita Casals, grandniece of maestro Pablo Casals.

26 OCTOBER

The US performed a nuclear test at Nevada Test Site.

28 OCTOBER

Sri Chinmoy received a letter of greeting from US Secretary of State Cyrus Vance.

29 OCTOBER

The USSR performed a nuclear test at Semipalitinsk, USSR.

31 OCTOBER

Composer Leonard Bernstein wrote to Sri Chinmoy, calling him “a miraculous model of the abundance in the creative life that we lesser mortals seek.”

1 NOVEMBER

President Carter raised the US minimum wage to $3.35/hour, effective 1981.

4 NOVEMBER

The UN Security Council proclaimed a weapons embargo on South Africa.

6-10 NOVEMBER

Sri Chinmoy visited San Francisco.

8 NOVEMBER

Sri Chinmoy was reunited with Lakhan L. Mehrotra, Consul-General of India in San Francisco and formerly his boss at the Indian Consulate in New York.

9 NOVEMBER

Mayor George Moscone declared ‘Sri Chinmoy Day’ in San Francisco for the third consecutive year.

12 NOVEMBER

France performed a nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll, Pacific.

14 NOVEMBER

Swami Srila Prabhupada, founded of the Hare Krishna movement, died.

15 NOVEMBER

Sri Chinmoy met with Carlos P. Romulo, Foreign Minister of the Philippines and offered a concert at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan.

18 NOVEMBER

Sri Chinmoy had composed a total of 2,733 songs to this date.

19 NOVEMBER

President Anwar Sadat of Egypt became the first Arab leader to visit Israel. Libya dropped diplomatic relations with Egypt.

20 NOVEMBER

President Sadat became the first Arab leader to address the Israeli Knesset.

22 NOVEMBER

British Airways inaugurated regular London to New York City supersonic Concorde service.

24 NOVEMBER

France performed a nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll, Pacific.

24 NOVEMBER

Sri Chinmoy offered his first harpsichord concert. He played 46 of his Bengali songs.

27 NOVEMBER

Sri Chinmoy received an award from the Kissena Cycling Club in Queens for his encouragement of cycling.

29 NOVEMBER

Sri Chinmoy offered the opening meditation at a programme in honour of Martin Luther King, Jr. sponsored by the United Nations Meditation Group. The guest of honour was Dr King’s wife, Coretta Scott King.

NOVEMBER

Sri Chinmoy offered 10 concerts on the East and West coasts.

5 DECEMBER

Egypt broke diplomatic relations with Syria, Libya, Algeria, Iraq and South Yemen.

10 DECEMBER

Human Rights Day. The USSR placed 20 prominent dissidents under house arrest.

17 DECEMBER

France performed a nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll, Pacific.

18 DECEMBER

Sri Chinmoy offered his New Year’s meditation at Columbia University.

25 DECEMBER

Comedian Charles Chaplin died at age 88.

26 DECEMBER

The USSR performed a nuclear test at Semipalitinsk, USSR.

30 DECEMBER

Sri Chinmoy offered a public meditation at Admiralty House, Bermuda.

DECEMBER

Vitas Gerulaitis won the men’s singles title and Evonne Goolagong won the women’s singles title at the Australian Open.

DECEMBER

Pope Paul VI sent Sri Chinmoy a Christmas card written in his own hand.

During 1977

The Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Rescue, Education and Conservation was founded in San Francisco.