We are sorry to announce the sudden demise of Swami Shashankanandaji (Mahesh Maharaj) at our hospital in Ranchi Sanatorium on 1 October at 11.43 am. He was 88 and had a history of hypertension. Initiated by Swami Madhavanandaji Maharaj, he joined the order in 1963 at Delhi centre and received sannyasa diksha from Swami Vireshwaranandaji Maharaj in 1973. He served at the Headquarters (Relief office and Pallimangal department) and at Delhi, Chandigarh, Khetri, Raipur, Narottam Nagar, Taki and Saradapitha centres as an assistant, Ranchi Morabadi centre, first as an assistant and later as the head for a long 17 years, and as the first head of Purnea centre. He also served Swami Atulanandaji Maharaj for seven months. In 1977-79, he participated in the cyclone relief and rehabilitation project in Andhra Pradesh. He took keen interest in bhava prachar activities and was passionate about agro-based rural development initiatives.
After relinquishing the headship of Purnea centre in February 2021, he had been visiting different places and lived an active life till the end. Among his literary works, Sri Ramakrishna Kathasarovar (a poetic rendering on Sri Ramakrishna in Hindi) deserves a special mention. He musical discourses on the Kathasarovar were well appreciated.
