Swami Jinananda ji (Amal Maharaj) passed away 30 September 2014. I was surprised to know that he was 97. To me he looked at least 10 years younger. Initiated by Swami Virajananda ji, he joined the Order in 1948 at Delhi centre and had Sannyasa from Swami Shankarananda ji in 1957. Besides his joining centre, he served at Belur Math and Rahara, Deoghar, Purulia, Jayrambati, Asansol, Bhubaneswar, Kalimpong, Chandipur, Shillong, Taki, Puri Math and Varanasi Home of Service centres. He had been living maiinly at Belur Math since 1991. The Swami was simple and friendly by nature.
Swami Madhusudanananda ji (Gopal / Harinarayan Maharaj) passed away on 22 May 2015 at our Vrindaban hospital. He was 82. Initiated by Swami Shankarananda ji, he joined the Order in 1953 at Taki centre and had Sannyasa from Swami Vireshwarananda ji in 1966. After serving at his joining centre for six years, he spent the rest of his monastic life at Vrindaban centre. The Swami was a good singer.
Swami Harishananda ji (Manatosh Maharaj) passed away on 21 April 2015 at Seva Pratishthan, Kolkata. He was 67.Initiated by Swami Nirvanananda ji, he joined the Order in 1974 at Saradapitha, Belur, and had Sannyasa from Swami Vireshwarananda ji in 1984. Besides his joining centre, he served at Malda, Asansol, Almora, Karimganj, Jayrambati and Cooch Behar centres. He had been living at Belur Math for about five years. He used to sit opposite me in the Monks' Dining Hall in Belur Math where 'disabled' people like me were provided with chair and desk. He was mild mannered and spoke little but did that softly.
