Satsang, a Sanskrit word, literally means a gathering or association to uphold existence and truth. The Satsang movement was inspired by Anukul Chandra Chakravarty, respectfully called Sri Sri Thakur, by his followers and admirers. Sri Sri Thakur was born in 1888 in Pabna, Bengal (now in Bangladesh) and later moved along with his followers to Deoghar, India, where the main centre of the Satsang ashram is today. Sri Sri Thakur completed his earthly work and left for his heavenly abode in 1969.

Trying to describe who Sri Sri Thakur was and the Satsang movement in a few lines is like trying to put an ocean in a teacup. How do you even start describing a person who had the love of Christ, the spontaneous eloquence of Prophet Muhammed, the enlightenment of Buddha and the spiritual realization of Ramakrishna Paramhansa? The people who felt his loving touch have described him variously as an Avatar, Saint, Prophet, Master and by other such names. To his devotees, however, he remains an ocean of love who came to fulfill and to uphold all life and existence.

When Mahatma Gandhi came to visit Sri Sri Thakur at Pabna, he sought guidance in resolving the increasing divide between the Hindus and Muslims in India. Sri Sri Thakur replied that if every Hindu were a true Hindu and every Muslim were a true Muslim, all cause of conflict would melt away. This in essence, is the spirit of the Satsang movement. Sri Sri Thakur called this movement a "Man Making Movement". He believed that the aim of all religions and "isms" was "Existentialism"- the "Being and Becoming" of existence. He said "Religions may be many but the principles and the realization thereof are ever the same." His emphasis, and hence the emphasis of the Satsang, is to create ideal human beings through "Ideal-centric" attachment.

The number of members of the Satsang have reached tens of millions in India and abroad and are growing every day.