With deep sorrow announce the passing away of Srimat Swami Gitanandaji Maharaj, Vice-President, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, at Seva Pratishthan, Kolkata, today (14 March 2014) at about 9.10 am. He was 90. He had been suffering from old-age-related ailments for the past few years. On 8 February he was admitted to Seva Pratishthan with fever and chest infection which was diagnosed as pneumonia. He was kept in ICU under expert medical care. On 16 February, his condition became critical and, despite best available medical treatment, his life could not be saved. The body will be brought to Kankurgachhi (Yogodyan) Ashrama today (14 March) at about 1.30 pm and to Belur Math at about 6.30 pm. At Belur Math it will be kept at the Cultural Hall (Sanskriti Bhavan) till 10 am on 15 March when it will be shifted to the Math courtyard for about two hours. The cremation will be held at about 12.15 pm on 15 March at Belur Math. Swami Gitanandaji was born in Arial village of Dhaka district (now in Bangladesh) on 17 April 1924. An initiated disciple of Swami Virajanandaji Maharaj, he joined the Order at Chennai Math in 1946, and had Sannyasa from Swami Shankaranandaji Maharaj in 1956. Besides his joining centre, he served at the Headquarters and Kanpur centre as an assistant and Ranchi Sanatorium, Varanasi Home of Service and Kankurgachhi centres as head. He also served Swami Virajanandaji Maharaj as a personal attendant, and was a Secretary to Revered Shankaranandaji Maharaj for some time. In April 1973, he was appointed a Trustee of Ramakrishna Math and a Member of the Governing Body of Ramakrishna Mission. In June 1974, he was elected an Assistant Secretary of the twin organizations, and in April 1975, he was elected Treasurer of the Math and Mission. In 1985 he was re-elected an Assistant Secretary in which capacity he served for a decade. He was elected a Vice-President of the Ramakrishna Order in April 2003, which office he held till the end. During his spiritual ministry, he blessed many devotees with mantra diksha (spiritual initiation) in different parts of the country. He has two Bengali books to his credit: Sri Ramer Anudhyan (Contemplation on Lord Rama) and Bhagavat Katha (Selections from the Bhagavata).
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 12:23:18 +0000
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