HARIPRASAD Swami, founder of Yogi Divine Society and the head of Haridham Sokhada Swaminarayan Temple, passed away around 11 pm India Time on Monday (26). He was undergoing treatment for kidney ailments at Bhailal hospital in Vadodara in the western Indian state of Gujarat where he breathed his last. He was 87.
Followers from all over the world expressed grief over the spiritual leader passing away. Hundreds of devotees thronged the hospital on Tuesday (27) to pay their final tributes.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani condoled Swami's death. Rupani said Swami’s immense contribution to inspire youth in the field of education and his message for spreading the message of spirituality and social service in the society will be remembered for long.
Born at Asoja in Vadodara district in 1934, Swami spent more than 55 years of his life as a monk. His body will be kept for antim darshan (final sighting) at Haridham Sokhda between July 27 and 31. The last rites will be performed at Haridham Sokhda on August 1.
Swami got diksha (consecration) for monkhood from Yogiji Maharaj in 1965. For a decade before that, he worked as a secretary to Yogiji Maharaj.
Swamiji's organisation offers quality education to several students across various states of Gujarat through his Atmiya institutions.
Swami went to the hospital for dialysis on July 25 and was admitted to the hospital the next day for treatment. On the occasion of Gurupurnima recently, saints offered prayers hoping for Swami's recovery. The event was also broadcast online.
Pope Francis greets Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 summit near Bari, Italy, in June last year, as Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni and then British prime minister Rishi Sunak look on
