Shivakumara Swami was an Indian supercentenarian, humanitarian, spiritual leader and educator. He was a Lingayat religious figure, he joined the Siddaganga Matha in 1930 Karnataka and became head seer from 1941. He also founded the Sri Siddaganga Education Society.
Before his death at the age of 111 years, 295 days, he was one of the oldest people living in India. In 2015, he was awarded by the Government of India the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award.
Shivanna was born in Veerapura, a village near Magadi. He finished his matriculation in 1926 and enrolled in central college ,Bengaluru for graduation in arts with physics and mathematics as optional subjects, but was unable to earn the bachelor’s degree as he was named successor of Uddana Shivayogi Swami to head the Siddaganga Matha. Shivanna was proficient in Kannada, Sanskrit and English languages.He assumed charge of the Matha in 1941, following the death of Shivayogi Swami. The Swami founded a total of 132 institutions for education and training, that range from nursery to colleges for engineering, science, arts and management as well as vocational training. He established educational institutions which offer courses in traditional learning of Sanskrit as well as modern science and technology. He was widely respected by all communities for his philanthropic work.

The Swami’s gurukula houses more than 10,000 children from ages five to sixteen years at any point in time and is open to children from all religions, castes, and creeds who are provided free food, education, and shelter The pilgrims and visitors to the mutt also receive free meals. Under the Swami’s guidance, an annual agricultural fair is held for the benefit of the local population. The Government of Karnataka announced the institution of Shivakumara Swamiji Prashasti from 2007, the centennial birth anniversary of Swamiji. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the former President of India, visited him at Tumkur and praised the initiatives of Swami in education and humanitarian work. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Swami on 24 September 2014