Seer eligible for Bharat Ratna, Nobel prize: Minister

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister M B Patil on Wednesday said the 111-year-old Shivakumara Swami of Siddaganga mutt, who passed away on Monday, is eligible fora Nobel Prize apart from the Bharat Ratna.

He also said the state government wouldpress the demand for conferring the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civivilan honour, on the seer posthumously.

“…Mother Theresa was awarded Nobel Prize for her service. Parama poojya Shivakumara swamiji, apart from Bharat Ratna, is also elegible for Nobel Prize, for his service,” Patil told reporters here.

The government, along with other experts, has to thinkabout how to take the proposal forward, he said.

Pointing out that the state government in the past had recommended Shivakumar Swamiji’s name to the Centre for the Bharat Ratna, he said, it would press for the nation’s highest civilian award to the seer posthumously.

Lakhs of people bid a tearful adieu to the seer, known as “Walking God”, as his mortal remains were laid to rest Tuesday with full state honours at the math he had headed for over the last seven decades.

“We join the people in this demand. Seriously we will take it up with the centrethere is no politics in this,” he said, as he pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi too is aware of swamiji’s service. “We hope to be successful,” Patil said.

The swamiji had left an indelible imprint with hisstellar contributions in education sector and philanthropytargeted at children in whom he saw the almighty.

During the funeral procession, the crowdalso shouted slogans demanding “Bharat Ratna” for the seer.