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Swami Chitswaroopananda Giri Swami Chitswaroopananda Giri (known as T. K. Ramachandra Iyer prior to his initiation to Sannyasa) was born in Ponnani in Kerala in 1910 to pious Brahmin couple, Sri T.A. Krishna Iyer and Smt. Seetalakshmi Ammal.

Taking a Master’s Degree in Sanskrit from Madras University, he was in Government service and retired as the principal of Government Sanskrit College in Tripunithura where he served from 1959-1965. He translated many Sanskrit literary works to English. His translations are prescribed in the curriculum for Sanskrit education in Kerala.

He studied Advaita Vedanta under the guidance of Sri Narayana Sastri at Kasi.

As his elder brother, Swami Mukundananda Saraswati, was a resident Sannyasin at Sri Gnanananda Thapovanam and a disciple of Sadguru Gnanananda, he used to visit him often and have darsan of the renowned sage. Later, he stayed as a Vanaprastha in Thapovanam asram for a few years.

He was given Sannyasa Diksha and Mahavakya upadesa by Swami Nityananda Giri on 26th May 1993. He was conducting Vedanta classes at Sri Gnanananda Niketan. He attained Mahasamadhi on 6th March 2003 at a ripe age of ninety three.