Archives Timeline Stories
Empowering Graceful Aging
The Central Chinmaya Vanaprastha Sansthan (CCVS), established in early 1998 with the motto “Graceful Aging through Spiritual Living,” was highlighted by Guruji as a key grassroots initiative of the Mission. Headquartered in Allahabad (now Prayagraj), CCVS embodies the vision “A joyous journey towards liberation,” a vision inspired by Gurudev’s early efforts in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, as far back as 1981.
Chinmaya Centre of World Understanding (CCWU)
On 4 May 1997, Guruji inaugurated the CCWU - Chinmaya Centre of World Understanding in Delhi, India. Gurudev had selected that special name for Chinmaya Mission Delhi not just because it was the capital of India; it was a spiritual portal to many places of pilgrimage including Sidhbari and Uttarkashi. Though the physical structure of CCWU came up after Pujya Gurudev’s Mahasamadhi, it was built on His vision to foster greater understanding of the self and the world.
Indian Heritage, Global Education - CIRS
Continuing the focus on value-based education, on 6 June 1996, in the presence of Guruji, Chinmaya International Residential School (CIRS) was inaugurated by the President of the 'Divine Life Society', Swami Chidananda.
The school began with 96 students in grades 5–8 and has grown into a premier institution, now hosting 577 students, 69 highly qualified and experienced faculty, and 78 staff members from 23 Indian states and 19 countries (as of 2025).
A Clarion Call for Youth
March 1996 brought the first publication of Chinmaya Udghosh (CU) as the international youth magazine of Chinmaya Yuva Kendra (CHYK), the global youth wing of Chinmaya Mission. Br. Abhay Chaitanya (now Swami Abhedananda, CM South Africa) proposed the idea of a youth-focused magazine, which was presented to Guruji Swami Tejomayananda in December 1995. The motto of Chinmaya Udghosh - “Clarion Call for Dynamic Spirituality” - declares its purpose for the youth.
The First Successor
Three weeks after Gurudev’s Mahasamadhi, on 22 August 1993, the CCMT trustees unanimously resolved to appoint His Holiness Swami Tejomayananda as the Chairman of the Central Chinmaya Mission Trust and the Spiritual Head of Chinmaya Mission worldwide, with immediate effect. When someone asked Swami Tejomayananda how it felt to be “in Pujya Gurudev’s shoes,” he replied with great humility: “I am not in His shoes; I am at His Feet.”
Merging Back to The Infinite
At Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, California, on 3 August 1993, after forty-two years of tireless service as a towering figure of the Hindu Renaissance, Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda (1916–1993) departed from his physical body to shine forever as the Infinite Presence. His body, which had served as a living embodiment of the scriptures, was returned to Mother Bharat on 7 August. Two days later, on 9 August 1993, with profound reverence, it was interred in Bhu Samadhi on the sacred soil of Sidhbari.
Forever Tuned to Brahman
In Massanetta Springs, Virginia (near Washington D.C.) Gurudev taught Gita chapter 17 - The Yoga of Threefold Faith from 19 -25July 1993. As He thundered with His usual eloquence, little did the camp attendees realize that it was His final Gita Jnana Yajna. In His final discouse, Gurudev explained the verses 25-28. He began that last lecture with: “What happens by evening, we do not know, and you worry about the future?"
Chinmaya Kedar in Pennsylvania
Inaugurated on 30 November 1992, Chinmaya Kedar in Pennsylvania, USA, was the final Chinmaya Mission center to be opened by Gurudev. The presiding deity, Lord Shiva as Kedar, glows afresh with peace and Truth, having emerged from deep meditation. During the inauguration, Gurudev expressed, “This place must become a vibrant center of continuous spiritual activity at all levels.” He outlined how study groups, Bala Vihar classes, Yuvakendra sessions, and Vedantic discourses should enrich the centre.
A Tireless Hero of Sanatana Dharma
Hinduism Today, a respected quarterly magazine circulated in more than sixty countries, honored Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda with its prestigious 1992 Hindu Renaissance Award. This annual “Hindu of the Year” recognition included a cash prize (₹28,500 at the time) and a commemorative plaque, given to individuals “who make the strongest impact on Hindus worldwide and exemplify Hinduism’s vastness, tolerance, compassion, and spiritual depth.” It was a truly fitting global tribute to Gurudev’s lasting impact on Hinduism.
75th Birthday with Golden Gratitude
Though no offering can truly match the Guru’s grace and guidance, the Suvarna Tulabharam (a ritual of weighing a person against gold) served as a meaningful gesture of gratitude to mark Gurudev’s 75th birth year. Held on the morning of 24 December 1991 at Hotel Leela Kempinski in Bombay (now Mumbai), the ceremony not only followed an ancient tradition of offering gratitude but also supported the larger, selfless cause of sustaining the Mission.