Mysuru: Religious leader Sivarathri Rajendra Swami transformed the traditional role of the Suttur Mutt into a powerful movement for social change through education, healthcare and public service, said noted scholar DS Sadashiva Murthy on Friday.Delivering the salutation at the 111th Jayanthi Mahotsava of the late seer Sivarathri Rajendra Swami at the JSS Technical Institutions campus, Murthy said the religious leader’s contributions assumed greater significance considering the widespread poverty, hunger and illiteracy prevalent during the pre-and post-Independence periods.Recognising education and food security as vital tools to fight poverty, he established free hostels for students from rural and economically weaker backgrounds. These initiatives helped transform the lives of thousands of families, he said.Murthy said he extended educational and residential facilities to students irrespective of caste or religion, reflecting Basavanna’s ideals of equality and social justice. His efforts towards inclusive development and women’s empowerment preceded their emergence as major policy concerns, he added.Presiding over the programme, JSS Science and Technology University vice-chancellor AN Santosh Kumar said the late seer’s legacy continued to inspire generations through education, healthcare and social service. Education, he said, was viewed by the leader not as a privilege but as a fundamental necessity for freedom and democracy.His philosophy of Trividha Dasoha—Anna Dasoha, Jnana Dasoha and Arogya Dasoha—provided a comprehensive approach to social transformation. As part of the Jayanthi celebrations, high-performing students from across the JSS Technical Institutions were felicitated with endowment awards.Sharathchandra Swami of Kundur Mutt said true sainthood was defined not by religious attire or rituals but by compassion and selfless service.
