Shivakumara Swami facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shivakumara Swami
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Shivakumara Swami on 12 June 2007, aged 100
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Shivanna
1 April 1907 Veerapur, Magadi, Kingdom of Mysore
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| Died | 21 January 2019 (aged 111 years, 295 days) Tumkur, Karnataka, India
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| Other names | Siddaganga Swamigalu, Nadedaduva Devaru, Kayaka Yogi, Trivida Daasohi, Abhinava Basavanna |
| Education | Doctor of Literature (honorary, 1965) |
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| Years active | 1930–2019 |
| Organization | Siddaganga Education Society |
| Awards | Padma Bhushan (2015) Karnataka Ratna (2007) |
Shivakumara Swami (born Shivanna; 1 April 1907 – 21 January 2019) was an Indian humanitarian, a spiritual leader, and an educator. He was a respected religious figure of the Lingayat faith. Swami joined the Siddaganga Matha (a spiritual center) in Karnataka in 1930. He became its main leader in 1941. He also started the Sri Siddaganga Education Society. People often called him Nadedaaduva Devaru, which means "walking God," because he was so highly respected. In 2015, the Government of India gave him the Padma Bhushan award. This is India's third highest award for civilians.
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Early Life and Education
Shivanna was born on 1 April 1907. His birthplace was Veerapura, a village near Magadi. This area is now part of the Ramanagara district in Karnataka state. He was the youngest of thirteen children in his family. His parents were Gangamma and Honne Gowda. They were very religious and often visited temples. Sadly, his mother Gangamma passed away when he was only eight years old.
Shivanna went to a school in Nagavalli for his early education. He finished school in 1926. During this time, he also lived and studied for a short while at the Siddaganga Matha. Later, he went to Central College of Bangalore. There, he studied arts, with physics and mathematics as his main subjects. Shivanna was very good at the Kannada, Sanskrit, and English languages.
Becoming a Spiritual Leader
Shivanna did not finish his college degree. This was because he was chosen to become the next leader of the Siddaganga Matha. The person who was supposed to be the next leader, Sri Marularadhya, passed away on 16 January 1930. The current leader, Shivayogi Swami, then chose Shivanna to take his place.
On 3 March 1930, Shivanna officially joined the monks' order. He was given the new name Shivakumara Swami. After Shivayogi Swami died on 11 January 1941, Shivakumara Swami took over as the head of the Matha.
Helping Others Through Social Work
Shivakumara Swami was well-known for his work to help people. He started a total of 132 schools and training centers. These included everything from a nursery school for young children to colleges for engineering, science, arts, and business. He also set up places for vocational training.
The Swami created educational centers that taught both traditional Sanskrit and modern science. His special school, called a gurukula, provided a home for more than 10,000 children. These children were between five and sixteen years old. The school welcomed children from all religions and backgrounds. They received free food, education, and a place to live. This practice was known as Trividha Daasoha. Visitors to the Matha also received free meals. The Swami also organized an annual agricultural fair. This fair helped local farmers and the community.
Many people respected Swami for his kind actions. The Government of Karnataka started an award named after him in 2007. This was to celebrate his 100th birthday. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, who was once the President of India, visited Swami. He praised Swami's efforts to help people and improve education. Like other Lingayats, Swami followed a strict vegetarian diet.
Later Years and Passing Away
From 2016 onwards, Swami was admitted to the hospital several times in Bangalore. He had different infections but always recovered after treatment. These hospital visits were reported in local newspapers. On 3 January 2019, he was hospitalized again. His health got worse, and on 11 January, he was put on life support.
On 16 January, even though he was not getting better, Swami asked to be moved back to the Siddaganga Matha. He passed away on 21 January at 11:44 a.m. local time. The Government of Karnataka declared a public holiday on 22 January. They also announced three days of state mourning to honor him.
Awards and Recognitions
Shivakumara Swami received several awards for his dedication to helping others.
- In 1965, Karnataka University gave him an honorary Doctor of Literature degree.
- In 2007, when he turned 100 years old, the Government of Karnataka honored him with the Karnataka Ratna. This is the highest award given by the state.
- In 2015, the Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan.
