Laid to rest at his Ashram in Srirangapatna

Mysuru/Mysore:  Jack Hebner (73), popular as Swami Narasingha alias ‘Surfing Swami,’ passed away on Thursday (Jan. 2) at his Ashram in Srirangapatna after battling cancer for nearly two years. He established Sri Narasingha Chaitanya Ashram in Srirangapatna. 

Swami was being treated for cancer in Mexico for the past years, according to Surfing Federation of India President and Head Instructor at Mantra Surf Club, Kishore Kumar, his disciple of over two decades, who added that on Swami’s wish, he was brought back to Mysuru where he died 10 days later. Swami died at 1.31 pm on Jan. 2 and was placed in samadhi on the Ashram premises the next day. 

Swami Narasingha had established the country’s first Surf Club ‘Mantra Surf Club’ in Mulki, about 25km from Mangaluru in 2004 and inspired scores of his disciples and locals to take up surfing. Through this Club, he trained many youngsters from the region in surfing. Among those trained under him include Tanvi Jagadeesh, a young surfing prodigy, who is creating waves in surfing on the international circuit.

Swami was also instrumental in establishing Surfing Federation of India, the National Governing Body of Surfing in India and has created other ventures such as Surf Adventure Enterprises. His work has been widely recognised in over 300 news publications and magazines around the world. In 2014, Swami single-handedly began the work of the Surfing Swami Foundation [SSF], funding all its activities personally.