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Yoga guru, Padma Shri awardee Swami Sivananda dies at 128 in Varanasi
Swami Sivananda Saraswati was born in British India's Sylhet district (now in Bangladesh) and lost his mother and father at age 6.
Yoga guru and Padma Shri awardee Swami Sivananda Saraswati passed away due to a cardiac arrest on Sunday at the age of 128 in Varanasi.
Swami Sivananda Saraswati was born on 8 August 1897 in British India's Sylhet district (now in Bangladesh) and lost his mother and father at age 6.
After finishing his parents' final rites, he was brought to Guruji's ashram in Nabadwip (West Bengal) and raised by Guru Omkaranand Goswami. Without formal school education, he was imparted with all practical and spiritual wisdom, including Yoga.
Swami Sivananda has reportedly served 400 to 600 beggars affected by leprosy by meeting them in their hutments.
In 2019, he was honoured with the Yoga Ratna Award in Bengaluru. In 2022, President Ram Nath Kovind also gave him the Padma Shri award for his contribution to the field of yoga.
Several reports during the Maha Kumbh mela 2025 claimed that Swami Sivananda Saraswati has been attending the world's largest religious gathering for the past 100 years.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief at his demise and hailed Swamiji's contribution to Yoga.
“The demise of Kashi's renowned yoga guru 'Padma Shri' Swami Shivanand ji, who made an unparalleled contribution in the field of 'Yoga', is extremely sad. Humble tribute to him! Your spiritual practice and life of yoga are a great inspiration for the entire society. You dedicated your entire life to the expansion of yoga. I pray to Baba Vishwanath to grant salvation to the departed soul and give strength to his bereaved followers to bear this immense sorrow,” Adityanath wrote on X.
