Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji
Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji
The president of JSS Medical Service Trust His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahaswamiji is the 24th pontiff of Sri Suttur Math, established in the 10th century at Suttur, Mysuru District, Karnataka. His Holiness, who assumed the Peetha in 1986 at the young age of 29 years, had his spiritual training under the guidance of his illustrious predecessor, His Holiness Jagadguru Dr. Sri Shivarathri Rajendra Mahaswamiji, the founder president of the JSS Mahavidyapeetha. His Holiness has been responsible for establishing Bharatiya Samskruthika Parishath at All India Level by providing collective leadership involving all the heads of different religions, with an aim to take up activities which could benefit mankind.
Efforts as a religious head
Effort as a social reformer
Effort for economically deprived
Networked efforts with different religious organizations
Efforts as a religious head
- Has been responsible for establishing “Bharatiya Samskruthika Parishath ” at All India level by providing collective leadership involving all the heads of different religions, with an aim to take up activities which could benefit mankind.
- President “Foundation for Unity of Religions” (FUREC) an All India level organization, initiated by His Excellency Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the former President of India, along with other religious Heads.
- Has taken the initiative of spreading Indian Spirituality & Culture in the United States of America, by establishing the JSS SPIRITUAL MISSION, at Maryland, USA.
- Has involved in promoting the values present in Indian Tradition & Culture within India for the benefit of different sections of the society through various activities, like Retreat Camps, Celebrating the Birth Anniversary Functions of Saints of Suttur Math & Other important religious leaders, messages through house-to-house visits & Organizing of Fairs, Jatras for the benefit of urban & rural people
- Has involved in providing right directions to the leaders of the society & the common man through constant interactions, which will help the society to bring in harmony.
- Has involved in enabling the passing of knowledge present in our spiritual scripts & texts through publications & establishment of Vedic Schools & Gurukulas (School for Training & Religious Heads).
- Chairman “Gurusangamam”, Confederation of Indigenous Spiritual Moments, led by the current torch-bearers of the indigenous spiritual movements of India.
Effort as a social reformer
Expanding Educational Opportunities
Believing in the words of his Predecessor that “Ignorance is the root of all evils in the society and education is the sovereign remedy”, he has steered and guided JSS Mahavidyapeetha to become the center of learning by guiding more than 300 Educational Institutions spread across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
The following are the figures in brief:-
| Category | Institutions | Numbers |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | Pre-primary schools | 25 |
| Sahana Schools | 03 | |
| Primary schools | 18 | |
| Teacher Training Institutes | 16 | |
| High Schools | 56 | |
| CBSE School | 11 | |
| Junior Colleges | 17 | |
| Degree Colleges (2 have autonomous status) | 06 | |
| Technical Education | Engineering colleges | 03 |
| Institute of Management Studies | 01 | |
| Polytechnics | 04 | |
| ITCs | 03 | |
| STEPS | 02 | |
| International Institute for professional studies | 01 | |
| Medical Education | Medical College | 01 |
| Dental College | 01 | |
| Ayurvedic College | 01 | |
| Pharmacy Colleges | 02 | |
| Naturopathy and Yogic Science Nursing College | 01 | |
| School of Nursing | 04 | |
| Institute of Speech and Hearing | 01 | |
| College of Physiotherapy | 01 | |
| College of Nursing | 01 | |
| Professional Education | Law College (autonomous) | 01 |
Efforts are made to provide value based education in all the institution by giving importance to the overall development of an individual through state-of-the-art facilities to make him a useful citizen of the country. The majority of the institutions have collaborations with reputed universities, industrial and research organizations within and outside India (USA, UK, Australia, Ukraine, Finland, Japan, France, Italy, Singapore, Malaysia etc.) for many of their formal programs.
Effort for economically deprived
| Free Educational School | With a vision to provide contemporary education to the economically deprived section of the society, His Holiness has dedicated a Free residential school at Suttur for the benefit of 5000 children irrespective of caste and creed coming from different province of Karnataka and Tamilnadu The school provides all modern facilities for children with an outlay of Rs.15 crores. This unique experiment has drawn the national attention and it was also inaugurated by His Excellance Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the President of India during 2003. |
| Special Schools for Physically & Mentally challenged | His Holiness made to realize the dreams of his mentor/guru Dr. Rajendra Swamiji of providing a knowledge base for the physically and mentally challenged persons by establishing following dedicated schools Polytechnic for Physically Challenged – first of its kind in India, where an attempt is made to bring the orthopaedically, hearing impaired and blind to bring them into the mainstream of technical education with special gadgets which could facilitate the learning. A school for mentally challenged children in Bangalore and Mysore to infuse confidence and skill required by these children have an equal life with normal people in the society. |
| Dasoha | The philosophy of Veerashaivism strongly believes in Dasoha “Giving to the needy”. True to its philosophy, His Holiness is striving hard to practice this every moment of his lifetime. 62 schools covering 10000 children of Yelandur Taluk (backward taluk of Chamarajanagar district) are provided with free Mid-day Meals every day. More than 5000 children are fed, every day free of cost in the free hostels run by the math under the direct guidance of His Holiness. |
| Mass Marriages | Marriage affair being one of the difficult affordable activity in the Indian community, it is very difficult for the parents to discharge this responsibility. For the economically poorer sections of the community, it is still worse. Understanding the situation and the need, His Holiness shoulders the responsibility of facilitating more than 200 parents to perform the marriage of their sons and daughters, free of cost at the central facility provided by the Math. |
| Health Services |
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| Agriculture-based services to the farming community | With a concern to the farming community, His Holiness has given a lot of emphasis. In the field of agriculture for the benefit of the farmers to improve their technology, a Krishi Vignana Kendra with ICAR association is established. Through these activities like vermiculture (with the assistance of CAPART and Infrasys) is being popularized. Central facilities for soil testing and online field demonstrations are also taken up. Under SGSY a program of 15 crores with the assistance of Govt. Of India and Govt. Of Karnataka is taken up with an objective to
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The promoter of art & culture
His Holiness has been striving hard to restore the treasures of Indian culture & art. Parallel efforts are made to pass on these treasures to the succeeding generations by encouraging the younger generations to take an interest in our art & culture through various initiatives.Art and Culture
- A Sharana Sahitya Parishat is established in Bangalore with district units throughout the state to propagate the Vachanas of Basava and other religious leaders.
- A Sangeetha Sabha which is constituted and active in promoting the Music and culture.
- A Kala Mantapa for the promotion of various forms of art exists, which has an objective to reach out the common masses the traditions and values present in our Indian culture.
- To meet the cultural needs of society, a community center is built in Bangalore and Delhi.
- To promote the artisans and to nurture the taste for artifacts among the younger generations, a central place for building the capacities and showcasing the artisan products is established at Mysore under the name JSS Urban Haat.
Understanding of world as one
In an effort to bridge the gap between east and west (spiritualism and materialism), His Holiness has traveled abroad on a number of occasions to organize/attend (on invitation)various international workshops/seminars and conferences on spiritual and contemporary topics. Some of the important countries visited are UK, USA, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, Dubai and most of the European countries. Recently, he has been instrumental in establishing a full-fledged Spiritual Mission at the USA and educational institutions at Mauritius and Dubai.Networked efforts with different religious organizations
- His Holiness Dalai Lama, Spiritual leader – Buddhism, Tibetian settlement in India – New Delhi
- Himalayan Institute of Yogic Sciences, Dehradun – H H Sri Swami Rama
- Prajapita Brahma Kumari Eshwari Viswa Vidyanilaya, Mount Abu – H H Brahma Kumari Janaki Dadiji
- Art of Living, Bengaluru – Sri Sri Ravishankar Guruji
- Sri Akshardham – Gandhinagar, Gujarat – H.H Narayan Swami Temple
- His Holiness Acharya Maha Prajnaji, Surat
- Sri Ni. Pra. Swa. Shivakumaraswamiji of Siddaganga Math, Tumakuru, Karnataka
- Sri Siddeshwara Swamiji of Gnana Yogashrama, Vijayapura Dist., Karnataka
- Jagadguru Sri Shivamurthy Shivacharya Mahaswamiji of Sirigere Math, Taralabalu, Karnataka
- Padmashree Sri D Veerendra Heggade of Dharmastala, South Canara, Karnataka
- Sri Vishwesha Threertha Sri Padangalavaru of Pejavar Math, Udupi, Karnataka
- Jagadguru Sri Balagangadharanatha Mahaswamigalavaru of Adichunchanagiri Math, Mandya District, Karnataka
- Sri Sri Ganapathi Sachidananda Mahaswamji of Sri Avadootha Datta Peetam, Sachidananda Ashram, Mysuru, Karnataka
- Sri Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Mahaswamigalavaru of Shravanabelagola, Hassan District, Karnataka
- Sri Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev of Isha Foundation, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
- Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, Himalayan Academy, Kauai’s Hindu Monastery, Hawai