Shivakumara Swami (born Shivanna; 1 April 1907 – 21 January 2019) was
an Indian humanitarian, spiritual leader and educator. He was a Veerashaiva Lingayat religious
figure, he joined the Siddaganga Matha in
1930 Karnataka and
became head seer from 1941. He also founded the Sri Siddaganga Education
Society. Described as the most esteemed adherent of Lingayatism(Veerashaivism), he
was referred to as Nadedaaduva Devaru - ನಡೆದಾಡುವ ದೇವರು (walking God) in the state.
In 2015, he was awarded by the Government of India the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award.
Early Life
Shivanna was born on 1 April 1907 in Veerapura, a village
near Magadi in
the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore (in present-day Ramanagara district of Karnataka state).
He was the youngest of thirteen children of Gangamma and Honne Gowda. Having
been devoted followers of the deities Gangadhareshwara and Honnadevi,
Shivanna's parents took him to the shrines in Shivagange,
alongside other religious centres around Veerapura. His mother Gangamma died
when he was eight.
Shivanna
completed his elementary education in a rural Anglo-vernacular school in
Nagavalli, a village in the present-day Tumkur district.
He passed his matriculation in 1926. He was also a resident-student at the
Siddaganga Math for a brief span during this time. He enrolled in Central College of Bangalore to study
in arts with physics and mathematics as optional subjects, but was unable
to earn the bachelor's degree as he was named successor of Uddana Shivayogi
Swami to head the Siddaganga Matha. Shivanna was proficient
in Kannada, Sanskrit and
English languages.
After losing his friend and the heir to head the Siddaganga Matha, Sri Marularadhya, on 16 January 1930, Shivanna was chosen in his place by the incumbent chief Shivayogi Swami. Shivanna, then renamed Shivakumara, entered the viraktashram (the monks' order) on 3 March that year upon formal initiation, and assumed the pontifical name Shivakumara Swami. He assumed charge of the Matha on 11 January 1941, following the death of Shivayogi Swami
Social Work
The Swami founded a total of 132 institutions for education and
training, that range from nursery to colleges for engineering, science, arts
and management as well as vocational training. He established educational
institutions which offer courses in traditional learning of Sanskrit as well as
modern science and technology. He was widely respected by all communities for
his philanthropic work.
The Swami's gurukula houses more than 10,000 children from ages five to sixteen years at any point in time and is open to children from all religions, castes, and creeds who are provided free food, education, and shelter (Trividha Daasoha). The pilgrims and visitors to the mutt also receive free meals. Under the Swami's guidance, an annual agricultural fair is held for the benefit of the local population. The Government of Karnataka announced the institution of Shivakumara Swamiji Prashasti from 2007, the centennial birth anniversary of Swamiji. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the former President of India, visited him at Tumkur and praised the initiatives of Swami in education and humanitarian work.
Illness and death
In June 2016, Swami was hospitalised
with jaundice and
discharged later after treatment. He was again hospitalised in May 2017 and was
diagnosed with various infections but
completely recovered after treatment. In September 2017, he was hospitalised
again. In January 2018, he was diagnosed with pneumonia and a gallbladder
infection, but made a full recovery after a brief hospitalization. In June
2018, he was hospitalised again for a recurrence of the gallbladder infection. All
of these treatments happened in BGS Hospital Bangalore and was treated by Dr.
Ravindra B.S., chief of medical gastroenterology at the BGS Gleneagles Global
Hospitals.
The Swami returned to hospital on 1 December
2018, after suffering from a liver tube infection. Although he was
initially discharged, he was admitted again two days later. On 8 December, he
underwent liver bypass and gallbladder removal surgeries, performed by Mohamed Rela. The
surgeries were successful and the Swami was discharged after various days spent
in the intensive care unit. On 29 December, he was
diagnosed with a lung infection and
on 3 January 2019, he was hospitalised again. On 11 January, he was placed
on life support as his conditions
deteriorated. On
16 January, despite a complete lack of recovery, the Swami was shifted back to
Siddaganga Matha as per his own will.[ On
21 January, it was reported that he was in a critical condition after his pulse
and blood pressure dropped. Attempts to revive him failed and he was pronounced
dead at 11:44 a.m. (IST) that day.
The Government of Karnataka declared a public holiday on 22 January as part of the three-day state mourning period in a mark of respect.