New Delhi: The spiritual mentor of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has passed away. Swami Atmasthananda, the president of Ramakrishna Mission and Ramakrishna Math passed away on Sunday evening at 5. 30 pm at the ripe age of 98. He had been suffering from a prolonged illness and was undergoing treatment at SevaPratishthan, Kolkata for age-related ailments. 

Prime Minister NarendraModi, on his passing away, tweeted: “The demise of Swami Atmasthanandaji is a personal loss for me. I lived with him during a very important period of my life. Swami Atmasthanandaji was blessed with immense knowledge & wisdom. Generations will remember his exemplary personality. Whenever I would visit Kolkata, I would always make it a point to seek the blessings of Swami Atmasthanandaji.”

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who visited the hospital, later tweeted “Saddened that Rev. Swami Atmasthanandaji, President, Ramakrishna Math & Mission passed away on Sunday at SevaPratishthan. I paid my last visit to him this afternoon.A life of outstanding social & religious service. This is an irreparable loss to mankind.”

As soon as the news of his death spread hundreds of devotees came to the hospital to pay their last respects. His mortal remains were taken to the Belur Math in a specially designed hearse. Satyakrishna Bhattacharya who later became Swami Atmasthananda was born in Dinajpur now in Bangladesh. A brilliant student of Presidency College Maharaj was one of the favourite students of SarvepalliRadhakrishnan who was then the George V Professor of Mental and Moral Philosophy, Calcutta University.

From student life, Maharaj came in contact with some of the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. He was initiated by Swami Vijnananda, the fourth president of the Order and a direct disciple of Thakur.