Udupi : Sugunendra Tirtha Swami of Puttige Mutt anointed a 29-year-old Electronics and Communications Engineer as his successor here on Monday.

The Puttige Mutt is one of the eight mutts of Udupi that follow the Dwaita philosophy of Sri Madhwacharya.

Sushreendra Tirtha Swami was anointed after he accepted the sanyasa deekshe at the Moola Puttige Mutt here on the banks of the Swarna. He is the 31st seer in the Guruparampara (lineage) of the Puttige Mutt.

Rituals such as Avagahana snana, Loukika vastra visarjana, Kashaya vastra sweekar, Danda sweekar, Pranava mantra (acceptance of sanyasa ashram) were held. This was followed by the Pattabhisheka ritual held in front of the devotees of the mutt amid chanting of mantras here. All the rituals were conducted by Herga Vedavyasa Bhat.

Addressing the devotees, Sugunendra Tirtha said that many were surprised that he had suddenly taken a junior seer. But the process of finding the junior seer had begun eight months ago.

He had told Sushreendra Tirtha about the tough life of a sanyasi had to lead. Sushreendra Tirtha also desired to worship Lord Krishna in Udupi. Sushreendra Tirtha will study Vedas and religious texts for the next 12 years.

The Puttige Mutt has 11 spiritual centres abroad, including in the U.S., Australia and Canada.

“We want to spread the message of Lord Krishna and dharma to the entire world,” Sugunendra Tirtha said.

The eldest son of Gururaja Acharya and Vinuta Acharya of Udupi, Sushreendra Tirtha’s Purvashrama name was Prashanth Acharya.

He had his early education at Indrali English Medium School, Udupi, and Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Vidyakendra, Alike.

He did his PU at Manipal Junior College and graduated in engineering from Sahyadri College of Engineering in Mangaluru. He had worked in three software companies in Bengaluru. His younger brother, Pradyumna, an engineer, works in Pune.