Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj is a Hindu spiritual teacher, saint, writer and philosopher. Swami Avdheshanand Giri is the Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of Juna Akhara, he is considered as the first man of Juna Akhara. Juna Akhara is a very old and large group of Naga Sadhus in India. Swami Avdheshananda Giri has initiated about one million Naga Sadhus and is their first guru. His ashram is in Kankhal, Haridwar . Swami Avdheshanand Giri is the President of the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha and also a board member of the World Council of Religious Leaders.

Early life and retirement

Swami Avdheshanand Giri was born in a Brahmin family in Khurja , Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh . It is said that in his childhood, Swami Avdheshanand Giri often used to talk about his previous birth. He left home for sanyasa at the age of 17.

After leaving home, he met Swami Avdhoot Prakash Maharaj. Swami Avdhoot Prakash Maharaj was an expert in Yoga and had a great knowledge of Veda Shastras. Swami Avdheshanand Giri learned Vedanta philosophy and yoga from him. 

In the year 1985, when Swami Awadheshanand came out of the Himalayan caves after intense meditation and penance, he met his guru, former Shankaracharya Swami Satyamitranand Giri. He took sannyas initiation from Swami Satyamitranand Giri and entered the Juna Akhara under the name of Avadheshanand Giri. 

In the Haridwar Kumbh of the year 1998, all the saints of Juna Akhara together appointed Swami Avdheshanand Giri ji as Acharya Mahamandaleshwar. 

He is a member of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board . 

At present, Swami Avdheshanand Giri is the President of the prestigious Samanavya Seva Trust, Haridwar, which has several branches in India and abroad. The world famous Bharat Mata Mandir, Haridwar is included in this trust. 

International forum

Swami Avdheshanand Giri has presided over several international conferences on climate change, interfaith brotherhood and has been regularly invited to several international forums. He is a board member of the World Council of Religious Leaders. Swami Avdheshanand Giri was the keynote speaker at UNO for the 'Responsible Leadership Summit' held in May 2019, which was attended by around 200 delegates from different sections of the society from across the world.  In 2011, Swami Avdheshananda Giri attended the Interfaith G8 Summit held in Winnipeg , Canada in 2010. Melbourne in 2009He was the chief speaker at the "Parliament of the World's Religions" held in In the same year he participated in the 'Hindu Jewish Summit' in Jerusalem. In 2008, Swami Avdheshanand Giri also participated in Israel 's Presidential Conference "FACING TOMORROW". 

In August 2017, Swami Avdheshananda Giri participated in "Samvad II: Global Initiative on Conflict Avoidance and Environmental Consciousness" which took place in Yangon , Myanmar . The conference was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik and concluded by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath . The conference was organized by Vivekananda International Foundation (India), Sitagu International Buddhist Academy and University, Myanmar and Japan Foundation, Japan in association with Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha. 

In September 2019, Swami Avdheshananda Giri participated in Samvad-III: Global Hindu-Buddhist Initiative on Conflict Avoidance, held at Ulaan Baatar , Mongolia . From India Mr. Sushil Modi (Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar), Mr. Gurumurthy (Chairman VIF) and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, High Ambassadors of Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand also attended the event.

Social initiative

In Haridwar, an old age home and a physiotherapy center are running under the Samanvay Seva Trust. Shiv Ganga Project is an ongoing educational and water conservation project at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh.

Philosophy and preaching

Swami Avdheshananda Giri has a deep knowledge of Vedanta and ancient Indian philosophy subjects. He is a graduate in Sanskrit and in 2008 he was awarded an honorary degree of D.Litt from Vikram University , Ujjain. ,

Spirituality 
Swami Awadheshananda Giri is a regular speaker on various TV channels such as Sanskar TV and several major events such as the Kumbh Mela, programs such as the Encyclopedia of Hinduism and the Vivekananda International Foundation (Country, Society and Individual). 

Swamiji also writes articles as a columnist in various newspapers. 

Swami Avdheshananda Giri has many high-profile followers. From Bollywood to politicians, many high profile people have been reaching his Harihar Ashram in Haridwar. In October 2019, the President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind visited Harihar Ashram. He had gone to Haridwar to attend the convocation ceremony of IIT Roorkee. [30] In 2018, Home Minister Amit Shah and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat also visited Harihar Ashram. 

Bibliography

Swami Avadheshananda is known for his lectures. He has authored several books and has written extensively on various aspects of Indian spiritual philosophy. 

Vision of Self, 2013, p:272,  
Eternal Wisdom, 2014, p:154,  
Amrit Pravachan, Avdheshanand Giri, 2019, p:149, ASIN: B083C2WWKC
Brahma is the Truth, 2016, p:192, language:Hindi
You live only once, 2019, p:182, 

Awards and honors

For his efforts in the field of harmony and spiritual awakening. The award was presented by former President and Bharat Ratna Shri Pranab Mukherjee at Vigyan Bhawan , New Delhi 
SIES Eminence Award 2019, 
Hindu Renaissance Award 2008 in California, USA (This award is given by Hindustan magazine to personalities who inspire and strengthen Hinduism)