Kolkata: Swami Shivamayanandaji, Vice-President of Ramakrishna Mutt and Mission, passed away on Friday at a private hospital here following brief illness. He was 86.

The senior monk was admitted to the RKM Seva Pratisthan on May 22 with mild respiratory distress and was put on ventilator. He breathed his  last at 9.05 pm on Friday, the statement from Ramakrishna Mutt said.

Born in Bihar on Dec. 20, 1934, Swami Shivamayanandaji was a disciple of Swami Vishuddhanandaji Maharaj, who joined the order in Belur Mutt in 1959 and received ‘Sanyas Diksha’ from Swami Vireshwaranandaji Maharaj in 1969.

After serving the order at various Seva Pratisthan centres in various capacities, he started his spiritual ministration at the Ramakrishna Mutt and Mission in 2016 by giving ‘diksha’ to devotees. He was elected as the Vice-President of the twin organisations in 2017, the office he held till the end, along with the office of the head of the Cossipore Mutt. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed his condolences. “Swami Shivamayanandaji Maharaj of the Ramakrishna Mutt was actively involved in a wide range of community service initiatives focused on social empowerment. His contributions to the worlds of culture and spirituality will always be remembered. Saddened by his demise. Om Shanti,” he said.