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History

Ramanujacharya Jayanti

Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Ramanujacharya (1017-1037) on his birth anniversary.

• Born in 1017, Ramanujacharya also known as Ilaiya Perumal was born to Kanthimathi and Asuri Kesava Somayaji in Sriperumbadur, Chennai.
• He is known for his influential thinking towards devotional Hinduism.
• The great poet-saint Ramanuja was an eminent teacher and the founder of Vishishtadwaita.
• He is an expert in Vedic scriptures.
• A community of Vaishnavites has been following his path called Vedanta.
• Sri Ramanujacharya was also known for his social reforms. 
• He had a vision towards Lord Vishnu and his consort Shri and instituted a daily worship ritual for them. He later moved to Kanchipuram. 
• Shri Ramanujacharya wrote nine scriptures called Navaratnas and composed numerous commentaries on Vedic scriptures.

History

Adi Shankaracharya Jayanti

Adi Shankaracharya Jayanti has been recently observed on April 25. 

• Also known as Adi Shankara, he is one of the most important figures in Hindu philosophy who played a major role in the revival of Hinduism.
• He attained the knowledge of all the Vedas at the age of 8.
• Later on, he travelled across the country and established four peeths in four directions;
  • Jagannath Puri temple in the East
  • Shringeri Peeth in Rameshwaram in the South
  • Sharda Math in the West
  • Jyotirmath or the Badrinath Dham in the North
• A perfect example of his teachings is “Brahma Satyam Jagan Mithya Jivo Brahmaiva Na Aparah” This translates to Brahman (the Absolute) is alone real; this world is unreal; and the Jiva or the individual soul is non-different from Brahman.”
• He preached his Advaita philosophy. He preached that the supreme Brahman is Nirguna (without any Guna), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without any attribute), and Akarta (without any agent).
• Upadesa Sahasri: A Thousand Teachings, written by Adi Shankaracharya is a book of his teachings

Awards

Dalai Lama gets 1959 Ramon Magsaysay Award

The 1959 Ramon Magsaysay Award was presented to Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama after 64 years.

• The Ramon Magsaysay Award, often called the "Nobel Prize of Asia", is an annual award.
• It is established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society.
• The prize was established in April 1957 by the trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund based in New York City with the concurrence of the Philippine government.