Swami Chidbhavananda was an Indian spiritual leader who was born on March 11, 1898, in Senguttaipalayam, near Pollachi in Coimbatore District, Madras Presidency, India. His parents named him 'Chinnu', and he studied in Stanes School, Coimbatore. He was one of the only two Indians in his class, with the rest being British. After completing his degree from Presidency College in Chennai, his parents wanted him to go to England for further studies.
However, his life took a different turn when he came across a book on the philosophy of Swami Vivekananda, which had a profound impact on his mind. He started visiting the Ramakrishna Math in Mylapore often and had discussions with the Swamijis. Eventually, he decided to become a novice and went to the Ramakrishna Mission in Belur, West Bengal. His guru was Swami Sivananda, who was a direct disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
At the suggestion of his guru, Swami Chidbhavananda returned to Tamil Nadu and established an Ashram near Ooty. On January 14, 1937, he founded the Kalaimagal Seva Sangam (KMSSA) in a village called Athigaratty near Ooty. He later established Sri Ramakrishna Tapovanam in Tiruparaithurai, Tiruchi district, in 1942. Since then, Tapovanam has established several educational institutions in Tamil Nadu, and they propagate the ideals of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda through religious and social activities such as book publishing.
Swami Chidbhavananda authored over a hundred books in Tamil and English, covering various topics ranging from deep philosophical inquiry to contemporary social life. His books have made a significant contribution to Indian literature, and many of them have been translated into other languages.
In addition to writing books, Swami Chidbhavananda also wrote plays based on ancient Hindu scriptures, which are performed by students. His plays have gained popularity for their portrayal of the rich culture and traditions of India.
Swami Chidbhavananda passed away on November 16, 1985. His nephew, C. Subramaniam, was also a notable political figure in India. Swami Chidbhavananda's life and teachings continue to inspire people worldwide, and his contributions to Indian literature and culture are widely recognized.