His Holiness Sri Vidhusekhara Bharathi Swamiji is the successor-designate to His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Bharathi Theertha Mahaswamiji, the 36th and reigning Pontiff of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham. His pre-monastic name was Sri Kuppa Venkateshwara Prasada Sharma. He was born on the auspicious Naga-panchami day, 24 July, in Tirupathi. He was only five when His upanayana was performed. He learnt the Krishna-yajur-veda and mastered it up to karma-patha. The first darshan of Jagadguru Sri Bharathi Theertha Mahaswamiji He had as a teenager in 2006 made a profound impact Him. During one of His subsequent visits to Sringeri in 2009, He expressed to the Jagadguru His desire to study the sastras at His guru’s feet. Impressed by the spark of intelligence and sincerity in the young boy, the Jagadguru readily took Him under His wings. Under the guidance of the Jagadguru, Sri Prasad quickly gained mastery in Sanskrit. The Jagadguru taught Him the tarka and vedanta sastras. Pleased by His devotion and dispassion, His Holiness initiated Him into samnyasa with the monastic name Vidhusekhara Bharathi on 23 January, 2015. His Holiness Sri Vidhusekhara Bharathi has since been devoutly assisting His Guru in handling the affairs of the Math, undertaking tours, blessing the devotees and spreading the tenets of Sanatana Dharma. His eloquence in Samskrita, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Hindi is quite evident in His public discourses. In a short period, He has endeared Himself to the devotees by His affable persona and grace.
