Pramukh Swami Maharaj (प्रमुख स्वामी महाराज)

Bhaktamal: Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Real name - Shantilal Patel
Other Name - Pramukh Swamiji
Guru - Shastriji Maharaj
Disciple - Mahant Swami Maharaj
Aradhya - Bhgawan Swaminarayan
Birth - 7 December 1921
Place of Birth - Chansad, Gujarat
Marital Status - Unmarried
Died - 13 August 2016, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Sarangpur
Language - English, Hindi, Gujarati, Sanskrit
Father - Motibhai Patel
Mother - Diwaliben Patel
Famous - Spiritual head of BAPS (1971–2016); President of BAPS (1950–2016)Pramukh Swami Maharaj was the guru and president of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, a major branch of the Swaminarayan sect, a Hindu sect. He was the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

As President of BAPS, he oversaw the growth of BAPS from an organization centered in Gujarat, India, to one that spans the world, and is prominent outside India. Swami Maharaj has built over 1,100 temples, ordained over 900 sadhus. Has given initiation, visited more than 17,000 cities, towns and villages in India and abroad, replied to more than 760,000 letters and personally counseled more than 810,000 people. His social work is extensive, yet Pramukh Swami Maharaj has much more to offer.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj's words of wisdom provide inspirational guidance on religion, knowledge, devotion, family values, raising children, duties of citizens, proper speech and many other essential aspects of daily life. In times of crisis, refuge in God and association with a saint brings salvation. His followers believed that they were in constant contact with Swaminarayan, and formally, the manifestation of Akshar, is the eternal abode of Swaminarayan.

Followers of BAPS considered him to be a manifestation of "Akshar", the form of God's eternal abode.