Bengaluru: Prominent religious leader from Lingayat community Maate Mahadevi (73) died at a Bengaluru hospital last evening due to multiple organ failure.

She was admitted to hospital on Mar. 9 due to multiple organ failure and was on ventilation for the last few days. The doctors at Manipal Hospital announced her death.

Jagadguru Mate Mahadevi is a prominent woman pontiff of Lingayat community and seer of Lingayat Mutt Basava Dharma Peetha. The last rites will be conducted at Koodalasangama tomorrow.

Installed as ‘Jagadguru’ in the 1970s, Maate Mahadevi was the first woman seer of the community. She had started Sharana Mela, a religious congregation of followers of social reformer Basaveshwara and Lingayatism, and established Basava Dharma Peetha at Koodalasangama.

Mate Mahadevi was in the forefront of the movement demanding separate religion status for the Lingayat community and had angered Veerashaiva seers and leaders. The support from Home Minister M.B. Patil, JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti and other prominent seers in the region had added strength to the movement.

Condolences poured in after the news of her death and several seers and leaders paid tributes by setting aside their ideological differences.