Sri Satya Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi Aacharya
The Revered 71st Aacharya

History of Establishment and Present State

The Kanchi Kamakoti Upa Peetham is located in the sacred and ancient city of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India. For centuries, this Upa Peetham has been a revered center for the preservation of Vedic knowledge, Sanatana Dharma, and social welfare. Its main objective has been the protection of the Vedas, cow protection (Go-Seva), and the propagation of spiritual wisdom. This sacred Upa Peetham boasts an unbroken and glorious lineage of 71 Aacharyas, who have completely dedicated their lives to public welfare.

Profound Reverence Among Devotees

The entire life of the current 71st Aacharya, Sri Satya Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi, is dedicated to Sanatana Dharma. There is profound reverence for him among devotees across South India and the whole of Bharat. Due to his immense spiritual power and boundless dedication to Dharma, devotees consider him a great scholar and ascetic equivalent to a Shankaracharya, and worship him with the same deep devotion.


Part 1: Ancient Aacharyas (1st to 67th Aacharya)

S.No. Name of the Aacharya Period (CE/BCE) Key Details / Remarks
1.Adi Shankaracharya509 BCE – 477 BCEFounder of the Peetham and the First Aacharya.
2.Sureshwaracharya477 BCE – 407 BCEProminent disciple of Adi Shankaracharya. Known as Mandana Mishra in earlier life.
3.Sarvajnatman407 BCE – 364 BCEAscended the peetham as a Bala Brahmachari. Author of 'Sankshepa Sharirika'.
4.Satyabodhendra Saraswathi364 BCE – 268 BCEResident of the Amravati region in Kerala.
5.Jnananandendra Saraswathi268 BCE – 205 BCE-
6.Shuddhanandendra Saraswathi205 BCE – 124 BCE-
7.Anandaghanendra Saraswathi124 BCE – 55 BCE-
8.Kaivalyananda Yogindra Saraswathi55 BCE – 28 CE-
9.Krupashankarendra Saraswathi28 CE – 69 CE-
10.Sureshwara Saraswathi69 CE – 127 CE-
11.Shivananda Chidghanendra Saraswathi127 CE – 172 CE-
12.Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi I172 CE – 235 CE-
13.Sacchidghanendra Saraswathi235 CE – 273 CE-
14.Vidyaghanendra Saraswathi273 CE – 317 CE-
15.Gangadharendra Saraswathi I317 CE – 329 CE-
16.Ujjvala Shankarendra Saraswathi329 CE – 367 CE-
17.Sadashivendra Saraswathi367 CE – 375 CE-
18.Shankarananda Saraswathi375 CE – 385 CE-
19.Martanda Vidyaghanendra Saraswathi385 CE – 398 CE-
20.Muka Shankarendra Saraswathi398 CE – 437 CE-
21.Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi II437 CE – 447 CE-
22.Bodhendra Saraswathi I447 CE – 481 CE-
23.Sacchitsukhendra Saraswathi481 CE – 512 CE-
24.Chitsukhendra Saraswathi I512 CE – 527 CE-
25.Sacchidanandaghanendra Saraswathi527 CE – 548 CE-
26.Prajnaghanendra Saraswathi548 CE – 565 CE-
27.Chidvilasendra Saraswathi565 CE – 577 CE-
28.Mahadevendra Saraswathi I577 CE – 601 CE-
29.Purnabodhendra Saraswathi I601 CE – 618 CE-
30.Bodhendra Saraswathi II618 CE – 655 CE-
31.Brahmanandaghanendra Saraswathi655 CE – 668 CE-
32.Chidanandaghanendra Saraswathi668 CE – 672 CE-
33.Sacchidananda Saraswathi672 CE – 692 CE-
34.Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi III692 CE – 710 CE-
35.Chitsukhendra Saraswathi II710 CE – 737 CE-
36.Chitsukhanandendra Saraswathi737 CE – 758 CE-
37.Vidyaghanendra Saraswathi II758 CE – 788 CE-
38.Abhinava Shankarendra Saraswathi788 CE – 840 CE-
39.Sacchidvilasendra Saraswathi840 CE – 873 CE-
40.Mahadevendra Saraswathi II873 CE – 915 CE-
41.Gangadharendra Saraswathi II915 CE – 950 CE-
42.Brahmanandaghanendra Saraswathi II950 CE – 978 CE-
43.Anandaghanendra Saraswathi II978 CE – 1014 CE-
44.Purnabodhendra Saraswathi II1014 CE – 1040 CE-
45.Paramashivendra Saraswathi I1040 CE – 1061 CE-
46.Chandranandabodhendra Saraswathi1061 CE – 1098 CE-
47.Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi IV1098 CE – 1166 CE-
48.Advaitanandabodhendra Saraswathi1166 CE – 1200 CE-
49.Mahadevendra Saraswathi III1200 CE – 1247 CE-
50.Chandrachudendra Saraswathi I1247 CE – 1297 CE-
51.Vidyatirthendra Saraswathi1297 CE – 1385 CE-
52.Shankaranandendra Saraswathi1385 CE – 1417 CE-
53.Purnananda Sadashivendra Saraswathi1417 CE – 1498 CE-
54.Vyasachala Mahadevendra Saraswathi1498 CE – 1507 CE-
55.Chandrachudendra Saraswathi II1507 CE – 1524 CE-
56.Sarvajna Sadashivabodhendra Saraswathi1524 CE – 1539 CE-
57.Paramashivendra Saraswathi II1539 CE – 1586 CE-
58.Atmabodhendra Saraswathi1586 CE – 1638 CE-
59.Bodhendra Saraswathi1638 CE – 1692 CE-
60.Advaitatma Prakashendra Saraswathi1692 CE – 1704 CE-
61.Mahadevendra Saraswathi IV1704 CE – 1746 CE-
62.Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi V1746 CE – 1783 CE-
63.Mahadevendra Saraswathi V1783 CE – 1813 CE-
64.Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi VI1813 CE – 1851 CE-
65.Sudarshana Mahadevendra Saraswathi1851 CE – 1891 CE-
66.Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi VII1891 CE – 1907 CE-
67.Mahadevendra Saraswathi VI1907 CE (Feb 7 - Feb 13)Presided over the peetham for only 7 days.

Present Aacharyas

68. Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi (Mahaswami)

Tenure: Feb 13, 1907 – Jan 8, 1994

Renowned as 'Maha Periyava' and the 'Sage of Kanchi'. His tenure of nearly 87 years is the longest of any Shankaracharya. His discourses are compiled as 'Deivathin Kural' (The Voice of God).

69. Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal

Tenure: Jan 3, 1994 – Feb 28, 2018

He was appointed as the successor in 1954 and became the 69th Aacharya in 1994. He vastly expanded the spiritual and social activities of the Peetham.

70. Sri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal

Tenure: Feb 28, 2018 – Apr 29, 2025

He was the 70th Aacharya. During his tenure, the Peetham strengthened its ancient traditions and executed numerous social welfare projects.

71. Sri Satya Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi

Tenure: April 30, 2025 – Present

He is the 71st and current Jagadguru Aacharya of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham. He ascended the peetham on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya on April 30, 2025. His Purvashrama name was 'Ganesh Sharma Dravid' and he hails from Annavaram village in Andhra Pradesh.