New Delhi [India], May 4 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief on the demise of Padma Shri awardee Swami Sivananda Saraswati, who passed away at the age of 128 years in Varanasi on Sunday.

In a post on his official 'X' handle, PM Modi offered condolences, stating, 'It is extremely saddening to hear about the demise of Shivanand Baba Ji, a yoga practitioner and resident of Kashi. His life dedicated to yoga and sadhana will continue to inspire every generation of the country. He was also awarded Padma Shri for serving the society through yoga. Shivanand Baba's departure to Shivaloka is an irreparable loss for all of us Kashi residents and millions of people who draw inspiration from him. I pay my tribute to him in this hour of grief.'

In 2022, President Ram Nath Kovind conferred him with the Padma Shri award for his contribution to the field of yoga. In January 2025, Swami Sivananda Saraswati once again garnered headlines when it emerged that he had been attending the Mahakumbh mela for the past 100 years.

Swami Sivananda Saraswati was born on August 8, 1897, in the Sylhet district of undivided India (present-day Bangladesh). Swami Sivannada lost both his mother and father at the age of six, and after their funeral rites, he was brought to the Guruji's ashram in Nabadwip (West Bengal).

He was brought up by Guru Omkaranand Goswami and was imparted with all the practical and spiritual education, including Yoga, without school education.

For the past 50 years, Swami Sivananda served 400 to 600 leprosy-affected beggars by meeting them in their hutments. Swami Sivananda has been honoured with various awards, including the Yoga Ratna Award in Bengaluru on June 29, 2019. (ANI)