Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham was established by Sri Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada in Kali 2620 (482 BC) in the ancient city of Kanchi, which is one of the seven Mokshapuris of Bharatavarsha. The Peetham has had a succession of great and illustrious Acharyas and is respected as one of the highest seats of learning and tapasya.

In recent times, the 68th Acharya, His Holiness Paramacharya Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal, respectfully known as the Mahaswamigal, graced this Peetham, for nearly nine decades. He is revered as one of the greatest sages of India. He gently guided the nation with his sagely presence and advice during a period when the country was going through a difficult phase of freeing herself of the foreign rulers and transforming into an independent, modern and self-confident nation. During all the struggles, agonies, turmoil and triumphs of this period, he, by his presence amongst us and his tireless journeys through the whole of the country, which he always performed on foot, ensured that the people and their leaders continued to keep faith in the great moral, religious and spiritual traditions of India.

Sri Mahaswamigal was born in 1894; he ascended the Peetham on February 13, 1907 at the young age of 13 years, and continued to bless the nation with his presence for almost a century. He attained moksha at Kancheepuram on 8th January 1994 in his 100th year.

His Holiness Sri Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal is the 69th Peethadhipati of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham. He was born in 1935 and was initiated into Sannyasa on March 22, 1954 by Paramacharya Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Swamigal. During the last fifty years, the Acharya has conducted several vijaya yatras all over Bharatavarsha. He has intensified the activities of the Matham in the social spheres of education, healthcare, temple renovation, etc. He has also established Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Viswa Mahavidyalaya, a Deemed University, in the name of His Guru, the Paramacharya.

His Holiness Sri Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal is supported by the 70th Peethadhipati, His Holiness Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal, who is fondly known amongst the devotees as Bala Periyaval. He was born in 1969, and was initiated as Acharya of the Peetham on 29th May 1983 by the Paramacharya. Sri Bala Periyaval is deeply concerned about inculcating moral and ethical values amongst the youth of India and ensuring that they receive, along with modern knowledge, competent training in all aspects of our ancient culture and civilisational literature.

Details of the history and activities of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham are available at:
www.kamakoti.org