Swami Nischalananda Saraswati is the 145th Shankaracharya in the lineage of the Govardhana Peetham, having ascended the seat on February 9, 1992. His pre-monastic (purvāśrama) name was Nilambar Jha. He was born on June 30, 1943, in Haripur Bakshi Tol, a village in the Madhubani district of Bihar, into a distinguished Maithil Brahmin family. His father, Pandit Lalvamshi Jha, was a highly respected Sanskrit scholar who held the prestigious position of Rāja-Paṇḍita (royal court scholar) in the Darbhanga Kingdom.

Displaying a studious nature from childhood, he left home at the age of 17 to embark on a spiritual quest. He undertook rigorous study of the Vedas and various Shastras in holy cities across India, deepening his understanding of Sanatana Dharma.

He became a devoted disciple of the renowned sage Dharma Samrat Swami Karpatriji Maharaj. As a young man, he was deeply involved in social causes, most notably the cow protection movement, for which he was imprisoned in Delhi's Tihar Jail for 52 days in 1966.

On April 18, 1974, he was initiated into the order of sannyāsa in Haridwar by Swami Karpatriji himself, who gave him the monastic name Nischalananda Saraswati.

His profound scholarship and unwavering dedication impressed the then Shankaracharya of Puri, Swami Niranjanadev Tirtha, who anointed him as his successor.

Rooted in the Mahāvākya "Prajñānam Brahma" (Consciousness is Brahman), Swami Nischalananda Saraswati travels extensively. His teachings address contemporary issues like national unity, cow protection, and environmental concerns through the lens of Dharma.

• Authored over 130 books on diverse subjects.
• Authority on Vedic Mathematics, author of acclaimed works like "Swastik Mathematics".
• Established Aditya Vahini and Ananda Vahini organizations.
• Guidance to global bodies like the UN and World Bank on World Peace.