In Swami Sivananda`s own words: "Chidananda is Jeevan Mukta (a liberated soul) a great saint, and ideal yogi, a Para Bhakta (devotee) and a sage." Swami Chidananda is all this and much more. ... He was born to fulfill a great mission. He is the torch-bearer of my mission." Swami Sivananda founded the Divine Life Society in January 1936. But by the altruistic efforts of Swami Chidananda, a more than worthy disciple of Swami Sivananda, its cultural and spiritual message has been spread far and wide.

Swami Chidananda Saraswati, this well-known Indian yogi, jnani and spiritual leader is President of the Divine Life Society, Rishikesh, India. In the year 1963, He was succeeded as President of the Divine Life Society, after the death of his predecessor, Swami Sivananda.

On 24th September 1916, Sridhar Rao was born to Srinivasa Rao and Sarojini as the second of five children and the eldest son. His father Sri Srinivasa Rao was a prospering rich landlord, who owns several villages, extensive lands and buildings like a palace in South India. His mother Sarojini Devi was a curious blend of Oriental tradition and Occidental living. Sarojini Devi was a good piano player, she even could sing English hymns and was excellent at tennis. Both young Sridhara`s mother and father were religiously predisposed and therefore had a lasting impact on the future Swami Chidananda.

At the age of eight, one Sri Anantayya, a friend of his grandfather, who used to relate to him stories from the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata influenced Sridhar Rao`s life. At Mangalore, His elementary education began. He joined the Muthiah Chetty School in Madras in 1932.

This intelligent boy with His cheerful personality, admonitory conduct and sinful traits earned distinct place in the hearts of all teachers and students with whom he came into contact. He was admitted to Loyola College in 1936. In 1938, he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts. At that time the studentship used to take place predominantly at Christian College and that was very much significant. Study of the Bible was no mere routine for him. According to Him, `it was the living word of God, just as living and real as the words of the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita`. With His innate width of vision, He was enabled to see Jesus in Krishna, not Jesus instead of Krishna. He was as much an adorer of Lord Vishnu as he was of Jesus Christ.

At the time when Sridhara was young, a miraculous thing happened during His Worshiping of his beloved idol of Sri Rama. With an extraordinary radiant halo the idol appeared to effulgence and a heavenly smile used to adorn the divine countenance. At the tender age of ten, Sridhara experienced the face of death as it snatched away his beloved mother. He realized all worldly life is unreal, while lamented her loss. And also accomplished that saints only can show the right path from attachment and misery. The doctrines of Sri Ramakrishna had a lasting,

permanent effect on him later on. He started visiting the Sri Ramakrishna math at Mylapore in Madras and engaged himself in selfless service of the matha. He sedately took to a life of austerities, even though he was brought up in the midst of plenty. Young Sridhara stepped out of the house on 6th March 1943 for the good of the world. To put himself into a test, He worked at a construction site and erases his ego just as his master Swami Sivananda. On the 19th of May 1943 in the Buddha Purnima, he reached Rishikesh.

He received Swamiji`s permission to join the Ashram. He took charge of the dispensary. In 1948, when the Yoga-Vedanta Forest University was established, by appointing him as Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Raja Yoga, Sri Gurudev paid him a fitting tribute. In the first year of his stay at the Ashram, he wrote an immortal biography of Sri Gurudev, `Light Fountain`, his magnum opus. He has also authored dozens of books on yoga and spirituality. Sri Gurudev himself once commented: "Sivananda will pass away, but `Light Fountain` will live". Under the guidance of Gurudev, he founded the Yoga Museum in 1947. Swami Chidananda was nominated in the year 1948 as the General Secretary of the Divine Life Society. Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj initiated him into the holy order of Sannyasa, on Guru Purnima day, the 10th of July 1949. He now became known as Swami Chidananda, a name that implies: "one who is in the highest consciousness and bliss".

Upon the Mahasamadhi (death) of Swami Sivananda, He was elected President of the Divine Life Society in August 1963.

Right from the beginning, Sri Swami Chidanandaji, is working and serving the Divine Cause of Sri Gurudev`s Mission with indefatigable energy and spreading his Divine Life Message far and wide not only in India but also in countries outside. The Headquarters of The Divine Life Society Shivanandanagar (Rishikesh) on 24th September 1976 as well as all Branches of the Society celebrated his 60th Birthday Anniversary (Shashtyabdapurti).