Jagadguru Sri Sri Sri Dr. Nirmalanandanatha Mahaswamiji, the 72nd Pontiff of Sri Adichunchanagiri
Mahasamsthana Math, Mandya District, Karnataka, the Chancellor of Adichunchanagiri University
(Established under Karnataka Act No. 18 of 2013) and the President of Sri Adichunchanagiri
Shikshana Trust (R.) that runs more than 500 institutions. He is an ordained disciple of Jagadguru
Padmabhushan recipient Sri Sri Sri Dr. Balagangadharanatha Mahaswamiji. Sri Mahaswamiji was
initiated into the holy lineage of 'Sanyasa' in the year 1998.
Sri Mahaswamiji is mastered in both modern scientific and technological knowledge and ancient
wisdom. Under the guidance of Sri Guruji, he has established and served institutions ranging from
Nursery to Graduation and Research Centers in the rural parts of Karnataka and beyond. The Trust
is catering to the educational needs of more than 1,30,000 students through its 475 institutions
including 50 of them in higher learning institutions.Around 5,000 students are being provided free
education with boarding and lodging facilities.
Sri Mahaswamiji believes in living in harmony with the environment and under this category,
Vanasamvardhana Programme is in place, through which five-crore saplings were planted in different
parts of the State and are being maintained also. Sri Math, in addition to supply of saplings to
the public, provides tree guards and tractors for watering the plants. Sri Math maintains
Goshalas, purifies local pond water in villages and engages in desilting tanks, so as to improve
the community ground water table. Towards relief for victims of natural calamities, Sri Math has
given a lot of support in terms of supplying food articles, clothes & dress materials, besides
constructing about 5,000 houses for the families of affected people in North Karnataka and Tamil
Nadu during Tsunami & devastating floods.
A temple complex built by Sri Math, at a cost of about 100 crores of rupees, is the abode of Lord
Kalabhyraveshwara Swamy at Sri Kshetra Adichunchanagiri was inaugurated in 2006 which is
attracting lakhs of devotees from different parts of State and the country.
By considering the yeoman services to society, University of Mysore conferred the Honorary
Doctorate of D.Litt. (Honoris Causa) on April 30, 2016, at Sri Kshetra Adichunchanagiri.