India, May 4 -- Yoga guru and Padma Shri awardee Swami Sivananda Saraswati passed away on Sunday at the age of 128 in Varanasi.

Swami Sivananda Saraswati was born on August 8, 1897 in British India's Sylhet district (now in Bangladesh) and lost his mother and father at age 6.

After finishing his parents final rites, he was brought to the Guruji's ashram in Nabadwip (West Bengal) and raised by Guru Omkaranand Goswami. Without formal school education, he was imparted with all the practical and spiritual wisdom, including Yoga.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief at his demise and said the Swamiji made an unparalleled contribution to the field of Yoga.

"The demise of Kashi's renowned yoga guru 'Padma Shri' Swami ...