Pravrajika Anandaprana, the fifth president of Sri Sarada Math and Ramakrishna Sarada Mission, passed away at the Math’s headquarters in Dakshineswar at 9.54am on Tuesday. She was 97.

Last year, on October 1, President Mataji was admitted to the Ramakrishna Seva Pratishthan. Since her release from the hospital on November 10, Pravrajika Anandaprana remained at the order’s headquarters under the supervision of a team of doctors, senior nuns of the order said.

Despite all the care, her condition started deteriorating gradually because of her age, the nuns said.

“In the past two weeks, she has been on continuous oxygen support and her intake reduced gradually. On Tuesday morning Mataji passed away peacefully,” a senior nun said.

As the news of her demise spread, condolences began pouring in from around the world.

“Pravrajika Anandaprana Mataji, the Most Revered President of Sri Sarada Math and Ramakrishna Sarada Mission will be remembered for her monumental service to society and inculcating values of spirituality among people. Her efforts in healthcare, education and empowering Nari Shakti will also be remembered. My thoughts are with the countless devotees in this sad hour. Om Shanti,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on his X handle.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee also expressed her condolences.

“Saddened to know that Most Revered President of Sri Sarada Math & Ramakrishna Sarada Mission, Pravrajika Anandaprana Mataji entered Maha Samadhi today morning at Sri Sarada Math, Dakshineswar. My pranam to the departed soul of the great spiritual leader. My condolences to the millions of devotees across the world,” Mamata wrote on X.

Hundreds of her disciples and followers queued up at the Math premises since afternoon to pay their respects.

Known as Chameli Som in her pre-monastic life, she was born in Bhagalpur in 1927. She got her spiritual initiation from Swami Sankarananda, the seventh president of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.

After completing her master’s in philosophy and bachelor of teaching in 1957, Pravrajika Anandaprana joined Sarada Math, where she worked as a teacher. Math insiders said her happy disposition and loving way of teaching left a lasting impression on students.

Some of them fondly remember her as “Chamelidi,” recalling the lively classroom discussions and her effortless drawing of maps on the blackboard during geography classes.

Pravrajika Anandaprana was initiated into brahmacharya in 1962 and took sannyasa in 1967 from Pravrajika Bharatiprana, the first president of Sri Sarada Math.

She came to the Math headquarters in 1970 and took charge of the Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Nivedita Vidyapeeth, a primary school next to the Math and began teaching children of the poor families with love and care. She trained the kids in sports, handicrafts, and gardening.

“Mataji helped many underprivileged students secure higher education, ensuring they were well established in society and always supported them in good and difficult times,” a nun said.

Since the inception of Nibodhata, the mouthpiece of Sri Sarada Math, in 1987, Pravrajika Anandaprana diligently proofread and provided valuable editorial suggestions to the editors, Vedantaprana Mataji and Sadatmaprana Mataji.

Reluctant to become a trustee, Pravrajika Anandaprana eventually accepted the role in 2017 for Sri Sarada Math and the Ramakrishna Sarada Mission and started initiating earnest seekers.

She became vice-president in 2018 and, five years later, became the president on January 14, 2023.

Pravrajika Anandaprana’s upright and gentle nature, coupled with her spirituality, simplicity, honesty, firmness, and straightforwardness, endeared her to many. Several nuns said that her life remains a source of inspiration for the order.

The demise of Pravrajika Anandaprana comes within a month of the passing away of Swami Smaranananda, the 16th president of Sri Ramakrishna Math and Mission, on March 26. He was 94.