Chinna Jeeyar
Chinna Jeeyar is an Indian ascetic known for his spiritual discourses on Sri Vaishnavism. He subscribes to Thenkalai tradition of Sri Vaishnavism. He operates spiritual centers in the US. He is the designer and planner of the Statue of Equality, a statue dedicated to Ramanuja, in Hyderabad, India.
Jeeyar was trained in the Vaishnava tradition. At the age of 23 he took the oath to become an ascetic. He has been visiting the United States since 1994, where he taught a large number of people. He has also visited London, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Canada, where he performed Yagnas for the benefit of the people.
In December 2013, Jeeyar endorsed the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad student organisation for instilling patriotism in students and encouraging them to learn about Indian culture. He claimed Indian culture would remain unchanged if students are acquainted with a comprehensive understanding of the country's history. He expressed the view that students play a critical role in a country's development. Jeeyar was invited by the Government of Andhra Pradesh to assist in organising the Godavari Maha Pushkaram in July 2015. He has spoken at the United Nations about sustainable development goals.
