Over 700 top United Nations officials, ambassadors, members of US Congress, and luminaries of different faiths paid tributes to spiritual guru Sri Chinmoy, who passed away last month.

An interfaith group of spiritual leaders from six faiths, which included the Rev James Parks Morton, head of the Interfaith Center of New York, and Pir Zia Inayat Khan, head of the Sufi Order International, organised a ceremony at the UN headquarters to pay homage to Sri Chinmoy.

Chinmoy had led a 'Peace Meditation' twice a week for 37 years at the United Nations, which was attended by many diplomats and officials.

In his address, UN Under-Secretary-General Anwarul Chowdhury said Sri Chinmoy was a man of highest spiritual stature and internationally recognised global ambassador of peace.

The speakers, who were also followers of late Sri Chinmoy, stressed the universal nature of his philosophy which embraced and encouraged people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities to work together for peace.

Vijay Nambiar, chef de Cabinet to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, praised the contribution of the spiritual guru to the building up of inner peace in the world at large.

Sri Chinmoy was born on August 27, 1931, in a small village in eastern India.

Orphaned at the age of 11, he lived with his six brothers and sisters at a spiritual community in southern India, where he spent the next 20 years in intense prayer and meditation.

He went to the United States in 1964 and made New York City his home.

The guru has followers in over 60 countries.