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Sridhar Rao, as Swami Chidananda was known before taking Sannyasa (embracing a life of renunciation), was born to Srinivasa Rao and
Sarojini, on the 24th September, 1916, the second of five children and the eldest son. Sri Srinivasa Rao was a prosperous Zamindar (a
rich landlord) owning several villages, extensive lands and palatial buildings in South India. Sarojini was an ideal Indian mother, noted
for her saintliness.

At the age of eight, Sridhar Rao's life was influenced by one Sri Anantayya, a friend of his grandfather, who used to relate
to him stories from the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata. Doing Tapas (austerities), becoming a Rishi (sage), and
having a vision of the Lord became ideals which he cherished.

His uncle, Krishna Rao, shielded him against the evil influences of the materialistic world around him, and sowed in him
the seeds of the Nivritti life (life of renunciation) which he joyously nurtured until, as latter events proved, it blossomed
into sainthood.

His elementary education began at Mangalore. In 1932, he joined the Muthiah Chetty School in Madras where he
distinguished himself as a brilliant student. His cheerful personality, exemplary conduct and extraordinary traits earned
for him a distinct place in the hearts of all teachers and students with whom he came into contact.

In 1936, he was admitted to Loyola College, whose portals admit only the most brilliant of students. In 1938, he
emerged with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. This period of studentship at a predominantly Christian College was
significant. The glorious ideals of Lord Jesus, the Apostles and the other Christian saints had found in his heart a
synthesis of all that is best and noble in the Hindu culture. To him, study of the Bible was no mere routine; it was the
living word of God, just as living and real as the words of the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita. His innate
breadth of vision enabled him to see Jesus in Krishna, not Jesus instead of Krishna. He was as much an adorer of Jesus
Christ as he was of Lord Vishnu.

The family was noted for its high code of conduct and this was infused into his life. Charity and service were the glorious
ingrained virtues of the members of the family. These virtues found an embodiment in Sridhar Rao. He discovered ways
and means of manifesting them. None who sought his help was sent away without it. He gave freely to the needy.

Service to lepers became his ideal. He would build them huts on the vast lawns of his home and look after them as
though they were deities. Later, after he joined the Ashram (hermitage), this early trait found in him complete and free
expression where even the best among men would seldom venture into this great realm of divine love, based upon the
supreme wisdom that all are one in God. Patients from the neighbourhood, suffering from the worst kind of diseases
came to him. To Sridhar Rao the patient was none other than Lord Narayana Himself. He served him with tender love and
compassion. The very movement of his hands portrayed him as worshipping the living Lord Narayana. Nothing would
keep him from bringing comfort to the suffering inmates of the Ashram, no matter what the urgency of other
engagements at the time.

Service, especially of the sick, often brought out the fact that he had no idea of his own separate existence as an
individual. It seemed as if his body clung loosely to his soul.

Nor was all this service confined to human beings. Birds and animals claimed his attention as much as, if not more than,
human beings. He understood their language of suffering. His service of a sick dog evoked the admiration of Gurudev. He
would raise his finger in grim admonition when he saw anyone practicing cruelty to dumb animals in his presence.

His deep and abiding interest in the welfare of lepers had earned for him the confidence and admiration of the
Government authorities when he was elected to the Leper Welfare Association, constituted by the state - at first as Vice-
Chairman and later as Chairman of The Muni-ki-reti Notified Area Committee.

Quite early in life, although born in a wealthy family, he shunned the pleasures of the world to devote himself to
seclusion and contemplation. In the matter of study it was the spiritual books which had the most appeal to him, more
than college books. Even while he was at college, text-books had to take second place to spiritual books. The works of Sri
Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda and Sri Gurudev took precedence over all others. He shared his knowledge with
others, so much so that he virtually became the Guru of the household and the neighbourhood, to whom he would talk of
honesty, love, purity, service and devotion to God. He would exhort them to perform Japa of Rama-Nama. While still in
his twenties he began initiating youngsters into this great Rama Taraka Mantra. He was an ardent admirer of Sri
Ramakrishna Math at Madras and regularly participated in the Satsangs (association with the wise) there. The call of
Swami Vivekananda to renounce resounded within his pure heart. He ever thirsted for the Darshan (vision) of saints and
Sadhus (renunciates) visiting the metropolis.

In June 1936, he disappeared from home. After a vigorous search by his parents, he was found in the secluded Ashram
of a holy sage some miles from the sacred mountain shrine Tirupati. He returned home after some persuasion. This
temporary separation was but a preparation for the final parting from the world of attachments to family and friends.
While at home his heart dwelt in the silent forests of spiritual thoughts, beating in tune with eternal Pranava-Nada
(mystic sound of the Eternal) of the Jnana Ganga (river of Knowledge) within himself. The seven years at home following
his return from Tirupati were marked by seclusion, service, intense study of spiritual literature, self-restraint, control of
the senses, simplicity in food and dress, abandonment of all comforts and practice of austerities which augmented his
inner spiritual power.

The final decision came in 1943. He was already in correspondence with Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj of Rishikesh. He
obtained Swamiji's permission to join the Ashram.

On arriving at the Ashram, he naturally took charge of the dispensary. He became the man with the healing hand. The
growing reputation of his divine healing hand attracted a rush of patients to the Sivananda Charitable Dispensary.

Very soon after joining the Ashram, he gave ample evidence of the brilliance of his intellect. He delivered lectures, wrote
articles for magazines and gave spiritual instructions to the visitors. When the Yoga-Vedanta Forest University (now
known as the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy) was established in 1948, Sri Gurudev paid him a fitting tribute by
appointing him Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Raja Yoga. During his first year he inspired the students with his brilliant
exposition of Maharishi Patanjali's Yoga-Sutras.

It was also in the first year of his stay at the Ashram that he wrote his magnum opus 'Light Fountain', an immortal
biography of Sri Gurudev. Sri Gurudev himself once remarked: "Sivananda will pass away, but 'Light Fountain' will live".

In spite of his multifarious activities and intense Sadhana, he founded, under the guidance of Gurudev, the Yoga Museum
in 1947, in which the entire philosophy of Vedanta and all the processes of Yoga Sadhana are depicted in the form of
pictures and illustrations.

Towards the end of 1948, Gurudev nominated him as the General Secretary of The Divine Life Society. The great
responsibility of the organization fell on his shoulders. From that very moment he spiritualized all his activities by his
presence, counsel and wise leadership. He exhorted all to raise their consciousness to the level of the Divine.
On Guru Purnima day, the 10th of July, 1949, he was initiated into the holy order of Sannyasa by Sri Swami Sivanandaji
Maharaj. He now became known as Swami Chidananda, a name which connotes : "one who is in the highest
consciousness and bliss".

In November 1959 Swami Chidanandaji embarked on an extensive tour of America, being sent by Gurudev as his
personal representative to broadcast the message of Divine Life. He returned in March 1962.

In August 1963, after the Mahasamadhi of the Master, he was elected as President of the Divine Life Society. After
election, he strove to hold aloft the banner of renunciation, dedicated service, love and spiritual idealism, not only within
the set-up of the widespread organization of the Society, but in the hearts of countless seekers throughout the world,
who were all too eager to seek his advice, help and guidance.

Sri Swami Chidanandaji has toured the length and breadth of India, Malaysia and South Africa to serve the devotees of
the Society.

Again in 1968, Sri Swami Chidanandaji undertook the Global Tour at the kind request of numerous disciples and devotees
of holy Master Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj and visited all countries of the world. Wherever he went devotees received
him cordially and listened to him with rapt attention.

Sri Swami Chidanandaji, right from the beginning worked and served the Divine Cause of Sri Gurudev's Mission tirelessly
and to spread his Divine Life Message far and wide not only in Bharatavarsha (India) but also in countries outside.
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