Swami Gautamananda, a 95-year-old monk, has been appointed as the interim president of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. Currently, the senior-most vice-president of the Order, Swami Gautamananda joined the Ramakrishna Movement in 1951 and received his early spiritual training under Swami Ranganathananda. He became a monk in 1966 under the guidance of Swami Vireshwarananda, the 10th president of the Order. Throughout his years of service, Swami Gautamananda has worked at various Ramakrishna Mission centers in Mumbai, Kolkata, Raipur, and Narayanpur. In 1990, he was appointed as a trustee of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, and in 1995, he became the head of Ramakrishna Math in Chennai. The passing of Swami Smaranananda, the 16th president, led to Swami Gautamananda’s appointment as interim president. A memorial meeting will be held on April 7 at Belur Math to remember Swami Smaranananda, and a board of trustees meeting will be conducted later to elect the 17th president of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.