President Ram Nath Kovind confer the Padma Shri award to 54 distinguish personalities, including 125 year old Swami Sivananda for his contribution towards Yoga at a Civil Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Born in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, Swami Sivananda has author 296 books on yoga, Vedanta, and a variety of subjects.
His books emphasis the practical application of Yoga philosophy over theoretical knowledge.
Swami Sivananda, 125 year old yoga legend, who was born in August 1896, is cherishing his remarkable 125 years of living and despite his distinctive age, he still stands strong enough to perform yoga for hours, according to a write-up by Rashtrapati Bhawan on Padma Awardees.
About Swami Sivananda
Swami Sivananda lost his parents and sister before he was 6 and at that time, he denied the last rites of his family and chose the path of celibacy.
His relatives gave him to a spiritual Guru.
He was brought to his Guruji`s Ashram at Nabadwip in West Bengal.
Guru Omkarananda Goswami brought him up, impart all practical and spiritual education including Yoga without school education, with whom, starting from London, Swami travel across 34 countries including Europe, Russia, and Australia.
Swami Sivananda dedicate his life to the welfare of society and owe his age to yoga, discipline and celibacy.
Swami Sivananda wakes up as early as 3 AM in the morning and adheres to an undeviating routine.
Standing 1.58 metres tall, Swami Sivananda sleeps on a mat on the floor and uses a wooden slab as a pillow.
Fit without any medical complications, he practices Yoga every day and performs all rituals on his own.
Swami Sivananda leads a simple life, eats a simple diet serves others with his selfless service.
In his childhood, poverty made him sleep empty stomach many times, while the rest of the time, his family could afford to feed him boil rice and water.
Swami Sivananda believes, The world is my home, its people are my fathers and mothers, to love and serve them is my religion.`
For over three decades, Swami Sivananda has practising and teaching Yoga at Kashi ghats.
Dedicating his life to human welfare, Swami Sivananda has serving leprosy-affect people at Puri for the past 50 years.
Swami Sivananda healthy & long life has drawn the attention of national & international organisations.
Swami Sivananda perceives them as living God and serves them with the best available items.
He arranges different materials like food items, fruits, clothes, winter garments, blankets, mosquito nets, cooking utensils base on their expressed need.
For his tremendous contribution to the field of Yoga, Swami Sivananda believes Yoga is the way to lead a healthy life, it controls the senses, mind and will.
It is a way to god and divinity.
Swami Sivananda has honour with various awards including the Yoga Ratna Award in 2019 at Bengaluru.
Swami Sivananda was the senior-most participant from the country at a yoga demonstration on 21st June, the World Yoga Day in 2019.
He was awarded Basundhara Ratan Award by Respect Age International for his contribution to society on 30th November 2019.
Swami Sivananda is serving the underprivileged in different parts of the country, in North-East India, at Varanasi, Puri, Haridwar, Nabadwip and many more, as per the Rashtrapati Bhavan document on Padma awardees.
