New Delhi: Popular Jain Monk Tarun Sagar passed away this morning in New Delhi after a prolonged illness. He was 51.

The monk was admitted to a hospital in Delhi after he contracted jaundice but there was no improvement in his condition. Tarun Sagar is a monk of the Digambara sect and has a huge following in the Jain community.

Born on 1967 in Madhya Pradesh’s Damoh as Pawan Kumar Jain, he chose to live the life a monk at a tender age of 13 after getting inspired by the sermons of another popular monk Acharya Pushpdant Sagar.

As the news of his demise spread, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressed their grief and condolences. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Deeply pained by the untimely demise of Muni Tarun Sagar Ji Maharaj. We will always remember him for his rich ideals, compassion and contribution to society. His noble teachings will continue inspiring people. My thoughts are with the Jain community and his countless disciples.”

Tarun Sagar, unlike other Jain monks, openly interacted with politicians and has delivered sermons at the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 2010 and in Haryana Legislative Assembly in 2016.