About SVR
BRAHMAVIDYA RATNA, TANTRA SASTRA NIPUNA, RASHTRAPATHI SAMMANITHA, BRAHMASHRI VAIDYA S V RADHAKRISHNA SASTRI.
Sri S V Radhakrishna Sastri was a learned scholar in Ayurveda, Tantra, Vedanta, Meemamsa and Dharma Sastras and a Distinguished Personality in Vedas, Tarka, Advaita & Sanskrit. Born in Simizhi Village, 12 Kms from Tiruvavur, in Nagapattinam District, Tamilnadu State, India, to Sri K.Venkatarama Sastri and Smt Sankari on 30th September 1923, he hails from a renowned family of vedic and sanskrit scholars. He along with his brothers Sri S V Balakrishna Sastri, Sri V Swaminatha Athreya and Sri S V Santhanaraman, studied sastras in the traditional manner under their father and guru Simizhi Sri K Venkatarama Sastri. All the four brothers attained high proficiency in sastras and were highly devoted to Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt. Their Holiness, Sri Periyavas of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt and the Mutt circle call him Dr SVR.
At the Age of 10, SVR learned Yajur Veda from his Father for 6 Years from 1933 to 1938.
From 1939 to 1943, He learned Advaita Vedanta from Mudikondan Sri Srinivasa Sastri and Sri K G Natesa Sastri. Later SVR studied Ayurveda at Sri Venkataramana Ayurvedic College, Mylapore, Chennai. His Guru and Mentor was Sri V S Venkata Subrahmanya Sastri, Principal, Madras Sanskrit College, Madras. He Passed with a first class distinction and was awarded the Ayurveda Sironmani Degree in 1943 by the University of Madras and was awarded a Gold medal by the University of Madras in Oriental Titles Examination in 1943 in which he ranked university first. Further, he learnt Sakta Tantra from Swami Bhagavatananda Saraswathi (Rishikesh) from 1960 to 1965.
Dr. SVR, started his profession in Ayurveda , as a Physician-in-charge of Athreya Ayurveda Sala, Tiruchirapalli in 1944. From 1949, till his lifetime, he practised as an Ayurvedic Physician in Trichy. He was a Director and also served as Managing Director of Trichy Ayurvedic Union Private Limited, Trichy- an ayurvedic drug manufacturing firm from 1950 to 1998.
He was a visiting faculty (1997-1998) at ‘Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Ayurvedic College, Nazarathpet, Chennai. He served as the Secretary (1960-1962) & Vice President (1980-1998) of Samskritha Sahitya Parishad, Trichy.
He was the Chief Librarian & Organiser (1996-1998) of Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi International Library, Enathur, Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu He arranged and catalogued more than one lakh books in 100 branches of Sanskrit Literature. He was the President of the Sanskrit Education Society, Chennai – 2003-till death he also served as Advisor to the Sastra University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, for the establishment of standards and preparation of Ayurveda System from 2009 till death.
He was the President of Jayamatha Charitable Trust, Chennai which runs a school in the name of Jaya Jaya International School in Nazarathpet, Chennai.
He has organised, conducted and participated in many Vedic and Vidwat Sadas under the Auspices of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Kancheepuram and Samskritha Sahitya Parishad, Trichy. He gave many discourses on Advaita, Vedanta, Sastra, Yoga, Etc. He derived immense pleasure in teaching Sanskrit language to several interested groups of general public through Samskritha Sahitya Parishad, Trichy, Sri Ramakrishna Saradha Samithi, Trichy and Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Kancheepuram. As a Sanskrit teacher, he conducted Distance Education Courses for 24 Batches of 50 students each and was also the organiser and guide in conducting periodical examinations in Sanskrit for students under the banner of Sanskrit Education Society . Dr. SVR had conducted many cultural training classes to propagate Dharma Sastra and Sisthachara under Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam and has received many awards.
In recognition of his expertise, he was a recipient of the Presidential Certificate of Honour for Outstanding Contribution to Sanskrit in 2003 from the President of India, an award given to eminent sanskrit scholars. He received the Fellowship of National Academy of Ayurveda – (Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth) in 2001 from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. Of India. He was awarded the Title Brahma Vidyaratnam by his Holiness Sri Sankaracharya of Sri Kanchi Kamkoti Peetam in 2001.
He also received the Title Tantranipuna by his Holiness Sri Sankaracharya of Sri Kanchi Kamkoti Peetam in 2003. Dr. SVR was given the Title Veda Kalabhushanam by Thiruvavaduthurai Adeenam in 2008. Apart from these, he also received many Life Time Achievement Awards in various fields. He authored and compiled many books relating to Ayurveda, Sanskrit , Vedic and Puranic Literature.
Dr SVR happily married his maternal uncle’s daughter Ms.Maragadalakshmi (Born on 19th June 1928) on 17th January 1943. They lived in Srirangam, Trichy till their life time. They had 3 sons, 2 daughters, many grand and great grandchildren.
We are thankful to Their Holiness Sri Periyavas of Sri Kamakoti Peetam, Kancheepuram, Sri M D Gopal, Sri Mahaperiyaval Trust, Bangalore, Padmabhushan N Ramaswami Iyer Charities Soceity, Trichy, Sri Vigneswara Venkateswara Trust, Chennai and many others who had supported him in all his efforts and have now joined us in this venture.
We humbly request anyone having any manuscript, article or books relating to the subjects covered by Dr SVR to share a copy of it with us to enable us to add on in this website.
Dr.SVR attained the Lotus Feet of the Almighty God on 5th November 2014 and his wife followed him on 16th February 2015. He devoted and dedicated his life to the honour and glory of Sanskrit Literature. He fulfilled his ambition as a scholar and a teacher in spreading the Sanskrit language. We, his children dedicate ourselves in carrying his remembrance by spreading the knowledge to everyone in the world for years to come.
” VAIDYARAJAM MAHAAKEERTHIM SRI VIDYA PAARAGAAMINAMRADHAKRISHNA GURUM VANDHE AGNYAANADHWAANTHA DEEPAKAM “.