Know your padma awardee: Chinna Jeeyar Swami, the designer of Statue of Equality

The Statue of Equality was built on Ramanujacharya’s teaching of “equality in all aspects of living including faith, caste and creed”. The 216-foot tall statue is among the tallest metallic sitting statues in the world.

| Updated: 26 January, 2023 7:57 pm IST
Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Chinna Srimannarayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji belongs to a highly esteemed line of monks of the followers of Sri Ramanujacharya, called Jeeyars.

Vedic scholar, spiritual teacher and philosopher Sri Tridandi Chinna Srimannarayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji, popularly known as Chinna Jeeyar Swamy, was honoured with Padma Bhushan on Wednesday in the ‘Others-Spiritualism’ category.

Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Chinna Srimannarayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji belongs to a highly esteemed line of monks of the followers of Sri Ramanujacharya, called Jeeyars.

Chinna Jeeyar has been involved in the designing the 216-ft tall Statue of Equality, dedicated to Hindu philosopher and social reformer Ramanujacharya.

The Statue of Equality, also referred to as the Ramanuja statue, is located on the premises of the Chinna Jeeyar Trust at Muchintal, Ranga Reddy district in the outskirts of Hyderabad.

The statue was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February, 2022. The inauguration was done to celebrate the 1,000th birth anniversary of the saint.

Ramanujacharya, one of the greatest saints of Bharat was an exponent of the Vaishnavism tradition within Hinduism which influenced the Bhakti movement in India.

The Statue of Equality was built on the saint’s teaching of “equality in all aspects of living including faith, caste and creed”. The 216-foot tall statue is among the tallest metallic sitting statues in the world.

Swamiji was born on 3rd November 1956 in Arthamuru village in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, Bharath (India). He completed his schooling in Rajahmundry. He is involved in several charity and humanitarian activities.

Padma Awards – one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.

These Awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March/ April every year. For the year 2023, the President has approved conferment of 106 Padma Awards including 3 duo cases (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one) . There year 6 personalities were given Padma Vibhushan, 9 Padma Bhushan and 91 Padma Shri Awards. 19 of the awardees are women and the list also includes two persons from the category of Foreigners, and seven Posthumous awardees.

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