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Tejendraprasad
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Tejendraprasad during his days in office
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| Personal | |
| Born | (1944-04-11) 11 April 1944 (age 80) |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Organization | |
| Philosophy | Swaminarayan Sampraday (Sanatana Dharma) |
| Honors | 6th Acharya, Narnarayan Dev Gadi |
Tejendraprasad Pande (born 11 April 1944), formally known by his full title as Sanatan Dharma Dhurandar Acharya Maharaj Shree 1008 Tejendraprasadji Maharaj[1] was appointed acharya of the Narnarayan Dev gadi (Ahmedabad) of the Swaminarayan Sampraday, a Hindu sect, by his father, the previous acharya, Devendraprasad, and was enthroned on 13 October 1969.[2]
He took up the responsibilities of the Swaminarayan Sampraday on the orders of Acharya Devendraprasadji from the age of 14 years. Accompanied by learned people, he travelled to East Africa to nurture the Satsang there.[3] He studied English and other subjects at St. Xavier's High School and St Xavier's College in Ahmedabad.[4] In over 30 years of service to the Sampraday, his accomplishments are very numerous. The following is but a summary of the facts detailed in 'Dharma Setu', his biography produced in 1994 during the Silver Jubilee & Golden Jubilee Festival.[5]
He still remains a popular public figure even after retirement. In November 2008, he was invited to release a portfolio of paintings of Shrinathji by the Archer foundation.[6]
He established branches of the NNDYM all over the Northern Zone, along with the then Lalji Maharajshri (Acharya-Designate) Koshalendraprasadji. The organization's membership exceeds tens of thousands of youth, from all backgrounds - students, professionals, businesspersons and others. Its activities include tree planting, blood donation camps, religious camps, conferences, seminars, workshops, and many other socially useful activities.[7]
He established the International Swaminarayan Satsang Organisation (ISSO) on Vijayadashami, 1978 in the United States. It is particularly active there and in the United Kingdom, with regular camps and conferences for young people.[8][better source needed]
1981 saw commemorations of the sect's founder's bi-centennial birthday. The largest of these were at Ahmedabad, Bhuj and Muli. Brahmaleen Shree Dongreji Maharaj recited the Bhagwat Katha at the Ahmedabad festival where hundreds of thousands of devotees gathered. A few days later, he travelled to Kutch and presided over the festival in Bhuj. This was followed by another event at Muli.[9]
When Tejendraprasad retired in 2004, his son Koshalendraprasadji was enthroned as the acharya. Tejendraprasad remained active as a leader of the Swaminarayan Sampraday.
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