Swami Rambhadracharya: Scholar-Guru Gets Jnanpith

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – For his profound contributions to Sanskrit literature, spiritual leader, and educator, Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya is set to be honored with the prestigious 58th Jnanpith Award.

Born as Pandit Giridhar on January 14, 1950, Swami Rambhadracharya is a distinguished Hindu spiritual leader, poet, author, philosopher, and more. He has held the revered title of Jagadguru Ramanandacharya since 1988 and is based in Chitrakoot.

Despite losing his eyesight at the age of two months due to trachoma, Swami Rambhadracharya has overcome numerous challenges. Remarkably, he has never used Braille or any other aid for learning or composing. He is a polyglot, fluent in 22 languages, and has authored over 100 books and 50 papers, showcasing his expertise in diverse fields, including Sanskrit grammar, Nyaya, and Vedanta.

Swami Rambhadracharya’s notable contributions include epic poems, Hindi commentaries on Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas and Hanuman Chalisa, and Sanskrit commentaries on the Prasthanatrayi scriptures. He is recognized as one of the foremost authorities on Tulsidas in India and serves as the editor of a critical edition of the Ramcharitmanas.

His Katha programs on the Ramayana and the Bhagavata are held regularly in different cities in India and abroad, and they are telecast on various television channels.

Founder and head of Tulsi Peeth, a religious and social service institution, Swami Rambhadracharya is also the lifelong chancellor of Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Handicapped University in Chitrakoot. This unique institution exclusively offers graduate and postgraduate courses to four types of disabled students.