Swami Raghuttamananda ji (Shubhrangshu Maharaj)

The Official Announcement :

We are sorry to announce the passing away of Swami Raghuttamananda ji (Shubhrangshu Maharaj of Varanasi Advaita Ashrama) on 3 October 2018 at 11.30 pm at Varanasi Home of Service owing to dengue shock syndrome and kidney failure.  He was 54. 

Swami Raghunathananda ji (Ram Maharaj)

The Official Announcement:

We are sorry to announce the passing away of Swami Raghunathanandaji (Ram Maharaj) today (1 October 2018) at about 5.10 pm at Seva Pratishthan, Kolkata. He was 84. Cremation will be held at Belur Math tomorrow (2 October 2018) at 12.15 pm. 

Swami Sharanyananda ji (Devavrata Maharaj)

 The Official Speak :

Swami Sharanyananda ji (Devavrata Maharaj), the monk in charge of Koalpara Ashrama, passed away on 27 August at 5.30 pm at Seva Pratishthan, Kolkata. He was 78. On the evening of 18  August, while he was strolling near Koalpara Ashrama, he met with an accident and suffered a severe brain injury and two fractures in the right leg. He was immediately rushed to Seva Pratishthan.  On  19 August, he underwent brain surgery at Park Clinic, Kolkata. After a few days, he was  brought back to Seva Pratishthan. Despite the best available medical treatment, his life could not be saved.  An initiated disciple of Swami Madhavananda ji Maharaj, he joined the order at Saradapitha in 1962 and received sannyasa diksha in 1972 from Swami Vireshwarananda ji Maharaj. He served at the Headquarters and Saradapitha, Vrindaban, Kankhal and Kamarpukur centres as an assistant, and Shyamla Tal and Chandipur centres as the head. He was in charge of the Koalpara sub-centre for the last ten years. Austere in his habits, he was known for his calm demeanour.

From : The Official Obituary September 2018

Swami Chetasananda ji (Shukdeb Maharaj)

 The Official Speak :

Swami Chetasananda ji (Shukdeb Maharaj) expired at Seva Pratishthan, Kolkata, on 18 August at 2.30 pm. He was 80 and had been suffering from old-age ailments for some years. Initiated by Swami Vishuddhananda ji Maharaj, he joined the order in 1960 at Narendrapur centre and received sannyasa diksha from Swami Vireshwarananda ji Maharaj in 1970. He spent almost his entire monastic life at Narendrapur centre. Since October 2017, he had been living a retired life at Belur Math. The Swami was affectionate and jovial by nature.

From : The Official Obituary September 2018

Swami Somananda ji (Doraiswami Maharaj)

 The Official Speak :

Swami Somananda ji (Doraiswami Maharaj)  passed  away  at  Chennai  Math  on  4  August  at 4 pm. He was 98. An initiated disciple of Swami Virajananda ji Maharaj, he joined the order in 1938 at Ootacamund centre and received sannyasa diksha from his guru in 1948. He served as an assistant at Ootacamund, Chennai Math, Singapore, Kanchipuram, Salem, Chennai Students’ Home and Coimbatore Mission centres and later as the head of Salem centre. He had been living a retired life at Chennai Math since 2002. Austere and self-reliant, he was meticulous in his routine even at an advanced age. The Swami was loved and respected by all for his simplicity and gentle manners.

From : Official Obituary September 2018

Swami Kumarananda ji (Yatiraj Maharaj)

 The Official Speak :

Swami Kumarananda ji (Yatiraj Maharaj) expired at a hospital in Bengaluru on 17 June at 3.10 am.  He was 79 and had been suffering from renal disease and hypertension for some years. Initiated by Swami Madhavananda ji Maharaj, he joined the Order in 1960 at Chennai Math and received sannyasa diksha from Swami Vireshwarananda ji Maharaj in 1970.  He served as an assistant at Chennai Math, Ranchi Sanatorium and Nattarampalli centres, and later as the head of Nattarampalli centre for about 14 years.  After relinquishing the headship in November 2001, he had been staying at Ooty, Kankhal and Halasuru centres as a retired monk.  The swami was simple, amiable and austere by nature.

From : The Official Obituary July 2018

Swami Akamananda ji (Vinayak Maharaj)

The Offical Speak :

Swami Akamananda ji (Vinayak Maharaj) breathed his last at Kankhal centre on 5 June at 10.43 pm.  He was 103.  An initiated disciple of Swami Akhandananda ji Maharaj, he joined the Order at Nagpur Math in 1941 and received sannyasa diksha from Swami Virajananda ji Maharaj in 1950.  He served at Nagpur and Mumbai centres as an assistant and Ranchi Sanatorium and Kanpur centres as the head.  He had been living a retired life mainly at Mumbai and Kankhal centres since 1989.  Endowed with a strong will power and great perseverance, he contributed to the Order in different capacities.  In him the Order has lost one of its venerable senior monks. The Prime Minister of India sent a condolence message on the demise of Maharaj.

From : The Official Obituary July 2018

Swami Abhiramananda ji - My homage - Part 1 - lest we forget & Part 2 - On his life well lived

Today (19 June 2018) is the day meant for remembering Swami Abhiramananda ji, especially for those who knew  him and were friends with him or felt benefited by him.

His was surely a life that was lived well. Consideration of lives and deaths of all Swamis are of benefit to all. But the life of Swami Abhiramananda ji and more particularly his death are of somewhat greater significance. 

Let us first reflect about his death.

Tackling the worst case scenario, which some responsible people in my hearing have unfortunately not fully ruled out, was he hit on the head and dumped into poor, old Ganga ?

On the night of 7th June, he touched the Ganga, came back and was walking in the the verandah under Swamiji's verandah, looking at the portraits of Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. That was the last time he was reported alive.

It is a pity that a particular CCTV camera malfunctioned that night.

 Anyway, it is a great relief that the reputed Police Force of West Bengal have prima-facie ruled out possibility of any foul-play. Otherwise it becomes scary to walk in the  open spaces of Belur Math in the accustomed carefree manner.

(See Times Now Report below).

Tackling the second scenario, did he enter into Ganga as a live self offering, choosing a Shastra approved way for sadhus to give up their bodies ?

This theory has many takers. 

But it is asked why now, why not later like how Swami Akamananda ji did in another Shastra approved way ?

Tackling the final option, did he slip and fall into Ganga ? 

This theory has few takers among those who knew him but many among the general public.

Sw Abhiramananda ji is well known for his efficiently in work. He mentioned to me once that Swami Atmaramananda's file notings guided him when after Swami Atmaramanda's sudden death,  he had to fill the latter's shoes in Coimbatore. I hope that Swami Abhiramananda's notings too help his successors. 

It is amazing that he could send his last thoughts by a detailed email from his grave. At 9 a.m. the day after his death, all the trustee monks of Ramakrishna Math received his last thoughts about this great Ramakrishna Order. 

It does seem that he had premonition about his coming death. It is hoped that these last holy thoughts of a great monk bear fruit and rejuvenate this great Sangha. Let the dross in us be reformed and let the Eternal shine forth with a cleaner glow !

Part 2 : On his life well lived : 

Now that we have dealt with his death, let us turn to his life lived well and benefit from it.

 During a stroll with him recently at Dehra Dun, sometime around Akshaya Thrithiya, I heard something wonderful about his boyhood days. 

He lived in Paranur, a village in the nearabouts of Tiruvannamalai. This village, he said, has to this day, innumerable dedicated people following Unchavritti and Bhajana Sampradaya. After their daily Bhajana rounds they all used to gather at his house for their Bhikshanna. His father used to feed them daily. Thus he grew up in an exemplary devotion filled ambience.

When he mentioned this I had a distinct feeling that he wanted this to be included in his obituary when  I write it. Now I can guess that he must have had some premonition about his date with Death.

He was a great fan of my Homage series presented here and also my other writings elsewhere. I particularly remember his appreciation of my 'Ten Heads and their Tail' from 'Mahanta Purana' and my Poems on the Holy Mother.

My first meeting with him was when he was in TC and I was a PPTC Brahmachari in Calcutta Advaita Ashrama. So many memories flood now but for now I will be able to narrate only a few.

Swami Abhiramananda ji clicked this photo ...

In Dehra Dun we had some meaningful discussion about the role of sadhus of Ramakrishna Order, especially those who are not elected Trustees, in the affairs of the Mission. We had these sort of interactions often and he would always be my opponent or I would be his opponent. While in words, he often differed with me, he was more supportive in deeds.

Following my success in the re-affiliation of the old Ramakrishna Mission centre at Kayamkulam, in my present endeavour to bring about the reaffiliation of the old Ramakrishna Mission centre at Neyyur in Kanyakumari dt. and in setting up some of its sub-centres, he was of great support.

 I pray that before 2018 ends, our Villupuram centre would be affiliated (Abhiramananda ji had given his plighted word for this on Saradananda Jayanti last year) and that something concrete would come up about Kanyakumari centre and sub-centres (for which he had given great support from the beginning and had also visited the place at my request).

That would be a fitting tribute to his memory.

I hear that in his last great email offering, Swami Abhiramananda prayed to be reborn and be of service to the Sangha in his next birth too. He lived this life well. May his next life be better still !

Hari Om Ramakrishna !

Om Tat Sat Om  ....

Some useful links : 

1. Official Obituary

2. Abhiramananda 2

3. Abhiramananda 

4. Swami Abhiramananda Speaking at the Inaugural of Year 2009

5. Speech by Swami Abhiramananda on Sri Ramakrishna Tithipuja 2018

6. Kali Puja Bhajans by Swami Abhiramananda - 2015-05-17

7. Amba_Parameshwari

8. Swami Vivekananda Sannyasi Geetam Matrum Idhara Padalgal [Swami Abhiramananda] Audio CD (Tamil)

Official Speak from 1 above :

Swami Abhiramananda (Shivakumar), Assistant General Secretary, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, passed away suddenly and most unexpectedly.  Till the afternoon of 7 June, he followed his daily routine as usual.  However, from the evening of that day, he could not be found.  After a frantic search, his dead body was found floating on the Ganga, near Belur Math Ferry Ghat, on 8 June at about 8.15 am.  He was 65.

Initiated by Swami Vireshwarananda ji Maharaj, he joined the Order in 1974 at Bengaluru centre and received sannyasa diksha from his guru in 1984.  He served as an assistant at Bengaluru, Singapore, Coimbatore Mission and Chennai Math centres, and later as the head of Chennai Vidyapith and Coimbatore Mission Vidyalaya.  He was an acharya of the Probationers’ Training Centre for about two years.  In June 2014, he was appointed a trustee of Ramakrishna Math, Belur, and a member of the Governing Body of Ramakrishna Mission.  In May 2017, he joined the Headquarters as an Assistant General Secretary, the post he held till his passing away.  The swami was unassuming, jovial and hardworking.  In his untimely demise, the Order has lost a promising member.

Swami Narayanananda - the then Monk-in-charge of Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama at Vrindaban - His wonderful Passing Away - Text

The present Main campus of the Sevashrama

286 - 287 PRABIJDDHA BHARATA – June 1924

Swami NARAYANANANDA.

 We announce with a heavy heart the sad news of the passing away of Swami Narayanananda, a young promising worker of our Mission. The unfortunate event took place on the 12th of April last at our Brindaban Sevashrama of which he was lately in charge. The circumstances of his death were very remarkable. He had clear premonitions of his coming end, as will appear from the following unfinished letter written by him at 2-30 P.M.. on the day of occurance. to a friend at Rangoon –

“Since yesterday I am having some peculiar experiences. Last evening, as I was corning from the interior of the town along the bank of the Yamuna, I suddenly heard someone calling one in an endearing tone. 'Come, come away.' The voice was exceptionally sweet. but I could not trace its origin, for there was nobody by.  I returned to the ashrams and had my supper.

At night I had a strange dream. I saw as if I was in the presence of Sri Maharaja (Swami Brahmananda) and the Holy Mother. Oh the joy of it! That call is coming constantly to my ears since this morning, and my mind. too. seems to be longing to go somewhere. I am feeling no more attachment to anything of this world. I do not know what it all means"

Ah! I hear that call again. It is so sweet I Such a bliss I never experienced before in my life. Can you tell me who it is that calls me? Ah I Ah I Such sweetness I Such joy I It seems as if 1 am drifting somewhere —somebody is carrying me in his arms. A peculiar sensation is in my heart.  It is unique. Again. what soul-ravishing strains of music ! 'Behold the Blissful Region ! Let us go to that City ! Glory be unto the Lord I Mother, Mother ! Bliss. bliss. bliss ineffable !  What a marvelous experience it is! It seems the world does not exist, nay, it never did. Was it but a dream? I see that I am ever in the arms of the Mother. Glory unto the Divine Mother I I cannot write any more . –“ 

He had attended to his usual duties in the morning after which he had shut himself in his room and sung some devotional songs.  After taking his meals. he was busy settling the accounts. In the evening some visitors came and there was Bhajan, in the midst of which he had an occasion to go near the bank of the Jumna. On his return shortly after, he said that he had been bitten by a snake. The marks of the bite were distinctly visible. Being certain of his imminent end, he had his rosary brought and began to repeat the name of the Lord, asking, besides, a worker to take over the charge of the Ashrama. The deadly poison began to do its work, and soon he became unconscious.. All available means were tried, but nothing could restore him to consciousness. His spirit left its mortal tenement and sped to the eternal presence of the Lord. Surely such a death is most enviable and shows the intense spiritual nature of the late Swami. All we can say about it is--.’The Lord's Will be done!’.

Swami Narayanananda - the then Monk-in-charge of Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama - His Wonderful Passing Away in April 1924

Swami Kutasthananda ji - Suresh Maharaj - My Homage - Part 1

Begumpet in Hyderabad had the good fortune of having a Ramakrishna Ashrama sometime since 1920s or 1930s. Swami Yogeshwarananda, a monk of high academic qualification and a relative as well as a disciple of Ramachandra Dutta who was originally sent by Swami Brahmananda to head the first Ramakrishna Mission centre in Bangalore, in Ulsoor, had started this as a sub-centre of it. But by that time he had ceased to be a Ramakrishna Mission member and the ashrama under him had also consequently become separate. The Hyderabad Ashrama did moderately well as long as Yogeshwarananda was alive after which it started declining.

A studious and enthusiastic boy by name Shankar from Kerala joined Ramakrishna Mission very early in his life, grew up into a very likeable young monk, served the ashramas where he was posted in various capacities, like cook, dishwasher, inspirational speaker, etc. and continuing to keep learning, gained the trust of the elders, was given leadership opportunities in Burma, Karachi, Delhi and then Institute of Culture. He did well in all places until he had some difficulties in the administration of the last place. He was replaced by a brother monk and then he found himself in a sort of wilderness for some years, which he used well by going to different countries around the globe on successful lecture tours. Then he was given charge of this, by now much reduced Begumpet centre. He was Swami Ranganathananda.

To maintain an ashrama is a stupendous task, I am now beginning to learn more and more as I find myself having to look after several budding ashramas in different parts of India. The most important and most lucky thing will be having an enthusiastic volunteer willing to stay and do the ABCs of an ashrama routine.

Begumpet which by then had limped its way to Secunderabad, found such a lucky mascot in the arrival of a boy by name Suresh.

Now Begumpet’s successor ashrama at Domalguda is a big centre with many monks. It all begun with this Suresh.

Suresh became, in due course, Swami Kutasthananda.

He passed away yesterday (15 May 2018) at about 2.30 pm at a hospital in Ongole (Andhra Pradesh). He was 68.

More about him to be continued ...

Hari Om Ramakrishna

The following is from Beur Math's pages :

Obituary 

Swami Kutasthananda (Suresh)

We record with sorrow the passing away of Swami Kutasthananda (Suresh) at a hospital in Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, on 15 May at 2.30 pm.  He was 68 and had been suffering from psychiatric problems and other ailments for some years.  Initiated by Swami Vireshwarananda ji Maharaj, he joined the Order in 1974 at Secunderabad centre (which was later moved to Hyderabad) and received sannyasa diksha from Swami Gambhirananda ji Maharaj in 1988.  He served at Belur Math and Secunderabad (Hyderabad), Chennai Math, Chennai Mission Ashrama, Chennai Students’ Home, Contai, Tiruvalla, Malliankaranai, Ponnampet, Ootacamund, Kadapa, Barisha, Visakhapatnam, Vrindaban, Kalady, Kozhikode and Ghatshila centres. Owing to his health problems he was brought back to Belur Math in 2016.  Later on, he had been undergoing treatment at different places under the care of Hyderabad centre.  The Swami was austere and amiable by nature.

See : http://media.belurmath.org/news-bulletin-01-june-2018-1897

Swami Virupakshananda ji - My Homage written on 2nd March 2017

A big tree has fallen today morning.

Swami Virupakshananda ji passed away.

Chengalpattu is in solemn grief and so are the hearts

of innumerable devottees especially those of Sri

Lankan Origin. A fine sadhu, daring leader, an

inspiring orator in his heydays, a scholar, Institution

builder, a true feeler of the pains of the poor and he

was more. He was bold and when needed would not

flinch from taking a different turn during the course

of his work. 'A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of

little minds' I remember. His mind was anything but

little. When poor people pestered him sometimes he

would prefer to pretend to be a fool and be deceived

a bit but he was very careful with his Pound though

sometimes he was penny careless. He knew that an

Asrama requires proper spending more than bank

deposits. Big bank deposits does no good to anybody

including the depositor. He attracted wealth and

turned it into Institutions spreading wisdom and

grateful hearts spreading love. There was a time

when I had only a few elderly monks. sympathetic to

me. He was a steady one among those few. 

Hari Om Ramakrishna  

Durga Durga ...

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Swami Dhyaneshananda ji (Paresh Maharaj) - Obituary - links

We record with sorrow the passing away of Swami Dhyaneshananda (Paresh) at Seva

Pratishthan hospital on 9 April at 6.20 am. He was 79 and had been suffering from advanced stage

of Parkinsonism for some years. Initiated by Swami Vireshwaranandaji Maharaj, he joined the Order

in 1966 at Saradapitha centre and had Sannyasa from his Guru in 1976. He spent most of his active

monastic life at Saradapitha. Since 1999, he had been living a retired life at Belur Math. The Swami

was simple, austere and amiable by nature.

http://media.belurmath.org/news-bulletin-01-may-2017-1154

Swami Shiveshwarananda ji (Bidhu Maharaj) - obituary - links

We are sorry to announce the passing away of Swami Shiveshwaranandaji (Bidhu Maharaj) at Seva Pratishthan hospital, Kolkata, on 19 May at 9.30 am.  He was 87 and had been suffering from old-age ailments for some years.  Initiated by Swami Virajanandaji Maharaj, he joined the Order in 1953 at Asansol centre and had Sannyasa from Swami Madhavanandaji Maharaj in 1963. Besides his joining centre, he served at Saradapitha and Narendrapur centres as an assistant and Puri Mission, Singapore and Bhubaneswar centres as the head. After relinquishing headship of Bhubaneswar centre in December 2010, he continued to stay there as a retired monk.  Amiable and affectionate by nature, he contributed to the Order in different capacities.

See more at: http://media.belurmath.org/news-bulletin-01-june-2017-1194#sthash.F0xgYKu8.dpuf

http://media.belurmath.org/news-bulletin-01-june-2017-1194

Swami Atmasthananda ji - Obituary - links

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http://www.rkmdelhi.org/about-us/swami-nihswananda/

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The  sad  news  of  the  mahasamadhi  of  our  dear  and  revered  President  Srimat  Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj on Sunday, 18 June, was communicated to our centres on the same day. Revered Maharaj had been undergoing treatment at Seva Pratishthan since 21 February 2015 (for more than two years) for old-age ailments.  In February and April 2016 his health condition became quite critical: In February owing to urinary tract infection with high fever and episodes of low blood pressure, and in April owing to infection in chest and urinary tract.  On both these occasions, his health condition was stabilized with intensive medical care.  Subsequently, on 14 June 2017, the double J stent in his left ureter was replaced.   Although Maharaj’s health was stable after this procedure, his condition started deteriorating on 17 June and, on the following day, he passed away owing to septic shock and multi-organ failure at 5:30 pm.  He was 98. The news was broadcast over radio and television the same night and published in several newspapers of India and Bangladesh the following morning. The body of Revered Maharaj was brought to Belur Math at 9.25 pm on 18 June and was kept in the Cultural Hall behind President Maharaj’s quarters. A large number of our monastic brothers from branch centres, and thousands of disciples, devotees, admirers and friends, estimated at 50,000, thronged the Math premises throughout the night and the next day to pay their last respects and homage.  On the 19th at 8.10 pm, the body of Revered Maharaj was taken in a procession to the courtyard in front of the Math Office and kept on a high platform in a decorated pandal till 9 pm.  It was then carried in a procession to President Maharaj’s quarters stopping on the way for a short time in front of each temple at the Math.  When the procession reached President Maharaj’s quarters, the body was kept there for a while and a 21-gun salute was accorded by the West Bengal Police as a mark of respect to Revered Maharaj, at the instance of West Bengal Chief Minister.  The last rites of cremation started at 10 pm and were over by 1.30 am.  Despite showers in the evening which continued up to late night, a large number of monks and devotees stayed till the end of cremation rites. Condolence messages were received from many dignitaries and institutions, among them the following may be mentioned: Sri Pranab Mukherjee, President of India; Sri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India; Sri Tathagata Roy, Governor of Tripura; Ms Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal; Sri Manik Sarkar, Chief Minister of Tripura; Sri H Siddaramaiah, Chief Minister of Karnataka;   Sadhu   Keshavjivandas,   BAPS   Swaminarayan   Mandir,   Ahmedabad;   Sri   Mohan Bhagawat, Chief of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh; Divine Life Society of South Africa, Durban; ISKCON, Mayapur; Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari; Brahma Kumaris, Kolkata office; and Sivananda Ashram, Ahmedabad. Special worship and bhandara in memory of Revered Maharaj were held at Belur Math on Friday, 30 June. Devotees thronged the Math in large numbers from the early hours of the day. Prasad was served to about 52,000 devotees.  Swami Smarananandaji presided over the memorial meeting held in the afternoon. An estimated 85,000 people visited the Math that day. Memorial Meeting Photo Gallery.  

See more at: 

http://media.belurmath.org/news-bulletin-01-july-2017-1209#sthash.2SKhNXen.dpuf

Known in his pre-monastic life as Satyakrishna Bhattacharya, Swami Atmasthanandaji was born on the holy Buddha Purnima day in May 1919, at Sabajpur, near Dhaka.  He received mantra diksha from Swami Vijnananandaji Maharaj in 1938 and joined the Ramakrishna Order at Belur Math on 3 January 1941 at the age of 22 years.  In 1945, he received from Swami Virajanandaji Maharaj, the sixth President of the Order, Brahmacharya vows, and in 1949, Sannyasa ordination. After serving the Order at Belur Math and the branches at Deoghar (Vidyapith) and Mayavati (Advaita Ashrama), he got the opportunity to serve Swami Virajanandaji Maharaj, the then President of the Order, for a long time.  He spent several years in his holy company in the solitude of Shyamla Tal Ashrama in the Himalayas.  In 1952, he was posted to Ranchi TB Sanatorium where he served as its Assistant Secretary.  He worked hard to expand the Sanatorium’s services in many ways.  He was  sent  to  Rangoon  (Yangon)  Sevashrama  as  its  Secretary  in  1958.    He  developed  the Sevashrama hospital, and it soon became the best hospital in Burma (Myanmar) at that time.  When military rulers took over Rangoon Sevashrama, he returned to India in 1965.   He was posted to Rajkot branch as its head in 1966.  The beautiful temple of Sri Ramakrishna at Rajkot Ashrama was built during his tenure on his initiative. He was elected a Trustee of the Ramakrishna Math and Member of the Governing Body of the Ramakrishna Mission in 1973.  In 1975, he was appointed an Assistant Secretary of the twin organizations.  He became the General Secretary of the Math and Mission in 1992 and continued to be in that post for five years till 1997 when he became a Vice-President of the Order.   He was elected President of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission on 3 December 2007. Swami Atmasthanandaji travelled extensively in various parts of the country and visited many branches of the Order and some unaffiliated centres.  In 1998, he visited various places in the USA, Canada, Japan and Singapore. He also went to Malaysia, Fiji, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at different times.  In all those places, he spread the message of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Vivekananda and Vedanta. Among his several contributions to the development of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission’s service programmes the following deserve special mention.   The Integrated Rural Development Project, known as “Pallimangal” which introduced the ideas of self-employment and women’s self-empowerment in rural areas in and around Kamarpukur and Jayrambati, owes its existence to his initiative and persistent effort.  The “Samaj Sevak Sikshana Mandira”, attached to Saradapitha, is another project started by him to impart training to village youths in various trades, rural development and leadership skills.  It was his initiative which saw the birth of Pre-Probationers’ Training Centre (PPTC) at Belur Math as a potential joining centre for novices.  With the construction of “Arogya Bhavan” in Belur Math he fulfilled the longstanding need for a monastic home to take care of old and ailing sadhus.  He was the Secretary in charge of Relief & Rehabilitation department at the Headquarters for 17 long years.  During his tenure he reorganized the department and transformed its ad hoc mode of functioning into a permanent institution with its own funds and infrastructural facilities.  Under his stewardship, massive relief and rehabilitation operations were conducted in various parts of India, Nepal and Bangladesh. He will be remembered for his dynamic leadership, efficiency in administration with a capacity for making quick and daring decisions, and above all, for his deep concern for the poor and the underprivileged.  Manliness, openness and love were the hallmarks of his personality.  His wit and humour and contagious positive energy won him the love and admiration of all those who came in contact with him.   His devotion and dedication to the Divine Cause of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda were exemplary and a great inspiration to the followers of the Ramakrishna Ideal. His mahasamadhi has left a huge void that is difficult to fill.  In him the Order has lost an inspirational leader.  

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