Revered spiritual leader Dada Vaswani passes away at 99
Spiritual leader J. P. Vaswani, who headed the Sadhu Vaswani Mission, passed away on Thursday morning in Pune. He was 99- years- old and would have turn 100 on August 2. The mission had planned centenary celebrations in advance. Mr Vaswani passed away due to ailments related to old age. The mission is in shock over his demise and is yet to decide on his successor.
Mr Vaswani had been ill for over three weeks. “He was in an intensive care unit of Rubi Hall Clinic for the past three weeks. He was brought back to Mission after he was discharged. Today, at 9.01 am, on he sacred day of Thursday he took his last breath,” said the public relation team of the mission.
Mr Vaswani, the spiritual head of Sadhu Vaswani Mission that runs educational institutions, hospitals in Pune and spiritual centres all across the world, was known as a promoter of vegetarianism and animal rights. He was also known as a humanitarian, educator and orator. He has written over 150 self- help books.
President Ramnath Kovind had visited Mr Vaswani on May 30. Mr Kovind also inaugurated he new building of Vaswani International School in Nigdi, Pune. Mr Kovind tweeted: “Sad to hear of the passing of Dada J. P. Vaswani, a spiritual leader who contributed so much to our society. He dedicated his life to the betterment of humanity, promoting simple living, high thinking and education. My condolences to his countless followers.”
He had addressed many global summits including World Parliament of Religion, Chicago, Global Forum of Spiritual Leaders Oxford, and Parliament of World Religion and so on. He had initiated ‘ The Moment of Calm’, the global initiative to observe two minutes silence and forgive all on his birthday on August 2. The day is observed as Global Forgiveness Day.
Born on August 2, 1918, Dada matriculated at the early age of 13 and graduated at 17. He acquired a master’s degree in physics and Dr C. V. Raman, the world- renowned nuclear physicist and recipient of the Nobel Prize, assessed his thesis on the scattering of x- rays by solids. He became a head of the Brotherhood Association, founded by Sadhu Vaswani in 1929 in Pakistan and later shifted to Pune in 1948.