Sri Ranga Ramanuja Maha Desikan of Srirangam Srimad Andavan Ashramam, reverentially referred to by devotees as Srimad Andavan Swamigal, passed away following a heart attack at a private hospital in Chennai on Monday. He was 83 and was suffering from ill health. His mortal remains were taken to Srirangam in Tiruchi.
Born on May 20, 1935, at Srimushnam in Cuddalore district, he took over as the 11th pontiff of the Srirangam ‘Periyashramam’ in 1989.
An illustrious and revered scholar in Sanskrit, the Swamigal went to Sri Ahobila Mutt Sanskrit College at Madurantakam at the age of 13 and thereafter to the Sanskrit Paatashaala run by the Kaakumaani Adhikesavalu Chetty Trust, Chennai. Later, he studied at the Sriperumbudur Sanskrit College and emerged successful in the Nyaya Siromani Paribhaasha .
Worked as Tamil teacher
While working as a Sanskrit teacher in Andhra Pradesh, he learnt Telugu. He returned to Sriperumbudur and passed the Tamil Vidwan final exam and became Tamil teacher at the Jilla Board School at Chengalpattu.
He got married in 1960 and was blessed with five sons and two daughters. However, he gave up family life and became the head of Periyashramam at the age of 54.
Devotees said his intellectual prowess was amazing and he was proficient in Sanskrit, Tamil and Telugu. He was interested in Ayurveda from childhood.
He set up goshalas and established seven veda paatashaalas to spread and protect Hindu religion, said a release issued by the Srimad Andavan Arts and Science College, which he established at Srirangam in 1996. The mortal remains of the Swamigal would be laid to rest at the Srirangam Ashram on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has condoled his death.
