Rsingh at 10:18, 18 January 2026

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{{Short description|Indian monk (1929–2024)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox Hindu leader
|name = Swami Smaranananda
|image = Swami Smaranananda in 2014.jpg
|caption = Smaranananda in 2014
|guru = [[Shankarananda (Ramakrishna monk)|Swami Shankarananda]]
|predecessor = [[Swami Atmasthananda]]
|successor = Swami Gautamananda
|religion = [[Hinduism]]
|birth_date = {{birth year|25 December 1929}}
|birth_place = [[Andami]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]]
|death_date = {{death date and given age|2024|03|26|94|df=y}} <ref name="The Times of India 2024 q212">{{cite web | title=Ramakrishna Mission president Swami Smaranananda dies at 95, PM Modi pays tribute | website=The Times of India | date=27 March 2024 | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/ramakrishna-mission-president-swami-smaranananda-dies-at-95-pm-modi-pays-tribute/articleshow/108799608.cms | access-date=27 March 2024 | archive-date=27 March 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327185025/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/ramakrishna-mission-president-swami-smaranananda-dies-at-95-pm-modi-pays-tribute/articleshow/108799608.cms | url-status=live }}</ref>
|death_place = [[Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan]], [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], India
|philosophy = [[Vedanta]]
|order = [[Ramakrishna Mission]]
|honors =
|footnotes =
}}

'''Swami Smaranananda''' (25 December 1929 – 26 March 2024) was an Indian senior [[Monasticism#Hinduism|Hindu monk]] of the [[Ramakrishna Math]] and [[Ramakrishna Mission]], and its 16th president.<ref name="Zee News">{{cite web | title=রামকৃষ্ণ মঠ ও মিশনের ষোলোতম অধ্যক্ষ হলেন স্বামী স্মরণানন্দ | language=bn | website=Zee News India | date=17 July 2017 | url=http://zeenews.india.com/bengali/state/swami-smaranananda-is-became-the-16th-president-of-ramkrishna-math_170686.html | access-date=13 January 2018 | archive-date=14 January 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114130704/http://zeenews.india.com/bengali/state/swami-smaranananda-is-became-the-16th-president-of-ramkrishna-math_170686.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="The Times of India 2017">{{cite web | title=RKM helm to see a 'generational' change | website=The Times of India | date=17 July 2017 | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/rkm-helm-to-see-a-generational-change/articleshow/59625224.cms | access-date=12 January 2018 | archive-date=7 September 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907115330/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/rkm-helm-to-see-a-generational-change/articleshow/59625224.cms | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.observerbd.com/details.php?id=84852|title=Swami Smaranananda new president of Ramakrishna Mission - City News - observerbd.com|website=observerbd.com|accessdate=12 January 2018|archive-date=14 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114183831/http://www.observerbd.com/details.php?id=84852|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha(BSS) 2017">{{cite web | title=News Details | website=Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha(BSS) | date=18 July 2017 | url=http://www.bssnews.net/newsDetails.php?cat=0&id=676660&date=2017-07-18 | access-date=12 January 2018 | archive-date=14 January 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114131013/http://www.bssnews.net/newsDetails.php?cat=0&id=676660&date=2017-07-18 | url-status=live }}</ref> He joined the organization in 1952, and was elected president on 17 July 2017.<ref name="The Telegraph">{{cite web | title=RKM gets its 16th head | website=The Telegraph | url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1170718/jsp/calcutta/story_162500.jsp | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114184436/https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170718/jsp/calcutta/story_162500.jsp | url-status=dead | archive-date=14 January 2018 | access-date=12 January 2018}}</ref><ref name="The New Nation 2018">{{cite web | author=The New Nation | title=Swami Smaranananda new president of Ramakrishna Mission | website=The New Nation | date=12 January 2018 | url=http://thedailynewnation.com/news/140983/swami-smaranananda-new-president-of-ramakrishna-mission.html | access-date=12 January 2018 | archive-date=14 January 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114235327/http://thedailynewnation.com/news/140983/swami-smaranananda-new-president-of-ramakrishna-mission.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Anandabazar Patrika">{{cite web | title=হৃদয়ে রামকৃষ্ণ, আচরণে কর্মযোগী | language=bn | website=Anandabazar Patrika | date=18 July 2017 | url=http://www.anandabazar.com/state/swami-smarananandaji-becomes-new-president-of-ramakrishna-mission-1.643996 | access-date=13 January 2018 | archive-date=14 January 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114183827/http://www.anandabazar.com/state/swami-smarananandaji-becomes-new-president-of-ramakrishna-mission-1.643996 | url-status=live }}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Smaranananda was born in 1929 in the village of Andami, in the [[Tanjavur]] district of [[Tamil Nadu]], India, to a [[Tamil people|Tamil Hindu]] family with [[joint family|joint identity]]. Real name Jayram Venkatraman. He was raised by his aunt, and finished secondary school in [[Chennai]] in 1946.<ref name="~ Belur Math Media Gallery ~ 2017">{{cite web | title=Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj : New President of the Ramakrishna Order 2017~ Belur Math Media Gallery ~ | website=~ Belur Math Media Gallery ~ | date=17 July 2017 | url=http://media.belurmath.org/swami-smarananandaji-maharaj-new-president-ramakrishna-order-2017-1227 | access-date=13 January 2018 | archive-date=26 February 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226063910/https://media.belurmath.org/swami-smarananandaji-maharaj-new-president-ramakrishna-order-2017-1227/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

==Religious career==
Smaranananda received [[diksha|initiation]] from Swami Shankarananda in 1952, and joined the Ramakrishna Order that same year at its Mumbai centre. He was granted vows of [[Brahmacharya]] in 1956 and [[Sannyasa]] in 1960, both by [[Shankarananda (Ramakrishna monk)|Swami Shankarananda]].<ref name="The Telegraph"/>

In 1958, he was posted to [[Advaita Ashrama]] in [[Kolkata]], and served there for 18 years in various capacities, including some years as assistant editor of [[Prabuddha Bharata]], the English-language journal founded by [[Swami Vivekananda]]. In 1976, he became the secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission Saradapitha, a large educational institution located next to [[Belur Math]], where he served for nearly 15 years. In 1991, he became the head of [[Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai]].<ref name="Anandabazar Patrika 2">{{cite web | title=রামকৃষ্ণ মঠ ও মিশনের নতুন অধ্যক্ষ পদে দায়িত্ব নিলেন স্বামী স্মরণানন্দ | website=Anandabazar Patrika | date=21 July 2017 | url=http://www.anandabazar.com/state/the-16th-president-of-the-ramakrishna-math-revered-swami-smarananandaji-maharaj-dgtl-1.645717 | access-date=13 January 2018 | archive-date=29 October 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171029145626/http://www.anandabazar.com/state/the-16th-president-of-the-ramakrishna-math-revered-swami-smarananandaji-maharaj-dgtl-1.645717? | url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1983, he was appointed a trustee of the Ramakrishna Math and a member of the governing body of the Ramakrishna Mission. In 1997, he became the general secretary of the organization, and was made a vice-president in 2007.<ref name="The Telegraph"/>

The 15th president, [[Swami Atmasthananda]], took samadhi on 18 June 2017. Swami Smaranananda, who had been the most senior vice president, was elected to the post of president on 17 July 2017.<ref name="The Telegraph"/>

Being the president, he played the role of the spiritual head of the organization and relating to that, he granted spiritual initiation to those who sought spiritual association.<ref name="The Times of India 2017"/>

==Later life and death==
In April 2017, Swami Smaranananda inaugurated a toy train at an event at Belur Math. The toy train will pick up and take people around the Math campus. However, the service was discontinued. As of 2024, the service has not resumed, and there have been no official announcements regarding its revival.<ref name="Millenium Post 2017">{{cite web | author=Agencies | title=Ramakrishna Mission introduces toy train for the elderly | website=Millennium Post | date=16 April 2017 | url=http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/ramakrishna-mission-introduces-toy-train-for-the-elderly-236975 | access-date=13 January 2018 | archive-date=6 July 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706154145/http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/ramakrishna-mission-introduces-toy-train-for-the-elderly-236975 | url-status=live }}</ref>

In December 2017, he opened the newly renamed headquarters building of the Ramakrishna Mission at Belur Math, now named for its first general secretary, [[Swami Saradananda]].<ref name="The Telegraph 2">{{cite web | title=Tribute to Monk
| website=The Telegraph | date=25 December 2017 | url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/calcutta/tribute-to-monk-196085 | access-date=13 January 2018}}{{dead link|date=February 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Srimat Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj attained Mahasamadhi (died) on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at 8:14 pm at the Ramakrishna Mission Sevapratishthan, Kolkata at the age of 94.<ref>{{cite news |title=রামকৃষ্ণালোকে স্বামী স্মরণানন্দ – Swami Smaranananda Maharaj |url=https://www.etvbharat.com/bn/!state/swami-smaranananda-president-of-belur-ramakrishna-math-passes-away-in-kolkata-wbs24032607022 |access-date=26 March 2024 |publisher=ETV Bharat |date=26 March 2024 |archive-date=27 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327184855/https://www.etvbharat.com/bn/!state/swami-smaranananda-president-of-belur-ramakrishna-math-passes-away-in-kolkata-wbs24032607022 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Works ==
* ''Musings of a Monk'' ({{ISBN|9789381325902}}): This book is a collection of 68 articles on a variety of subjects, from spiritual writings to a travelog of his many trips around India and to the west.
** ''Smriti Smaran Anudhyan'' ({{ISBN|9788180405990}}): Bengali version of the book ''Musings of a Monk''.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commonscat|Swami Smaranananda}}
* [http://www.belurmath.org/Presidentmaharaj.htm Belurmath.org]

{{Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smaranananda, Swami}}
[[Category:1929 births]]
[[Category:2024 deaths]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Ramakrishna Order]]
[[Category:Indian Hindu monks]]
[[Category:Monks of the Ramakrishna Mission]]
[[Category:People from Thanjavur district]]
[[Category:Social workers from West Bengal]]

Swami Smaranananda - Revision history

Rsingh at 10:18, 18 January 2026