Padma Shri Yoga Guru Baba Sivanand Passes Away at 128 in Varanasi

Padma Shri awardee and spiritual guru Baba Sivanand passed away in Varanasi due to health complications. His disciples claim he was 128 years old.

Baba Sivanand was admitted to the BHU Hospital on April 30 due to health issues and passed away on Saturday night.

According to his disciples, Baba Sivanand’s body has been kept at his residence in Kabirnagar Colony for people to pay their last respects, with the last rites scheduled for later this evening.

Baba Sivanand was born on August 8, 1896, in Sylhet district (now in Bangladesh), and lost his parents to starvation at the age of six, according to his disciples.

Following the death of his parents, Baba Sivanand was taken in by Omkarnand, who became his guardian and spiritual mentor. Under his guidance, Sivanand embraced a life of austerity and discipline, adhering to a strict lifestyle that included consuming only half a stomach of food, according to his disciples.

Honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022 for his contributions to yoga and spirituality, Baba Sivanand was widely admired for his disciplined lifestyle, which his disciples credited for his longevity and robust health. They said he would rise at 3 am daily, practice yoga, and independently manage all his daily chores.

He lived a life of simplicity, eating only boiled food and sleeping on a mat. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid tribute to the yoga guru and prayed for his eternal peace.

"It is deeply saddening that renowned Kashi yoga guru and Padma Shri awardee Swami Shivanand ji, who made an extraordinary contribution to yoga, has passed away. Heartfelt tributes to him!" he wrote on X.

"Your life, devoted to sadhana and yoga, remains a profound source of inspiration for society. You dedicated yourself entirely to the promotion of yoga. I pray to Baba Vishwanath for the departed soul’s salvation and strength to his grieving followers in this time of great sorrow. Om Shanti," he added.

Also Read: Renowned Artist Renu Mahanta Passes Away at 86