The history of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham centers on the legacy of Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada, who is revered as a partial incarnation of Lord Shiva born approximately 2,500 years ago to restore Vedic Dharma and propagate the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta. According to the institution’s tradition, Shankara established the Peetham at Kanchipuram after traveling to Mount Kailas, where he received five crystal lingas and the Soundarya Lahari from Lord Paramesvara; he eventually spent his final days in Kanchipuram, occupying the Sarvajnapeetha (Throne of Omniscience) before attaining Siddhi. This spiritual lineage has remained unbroken through 70 successive Acharyas—including notable figures like the 68th Pontiff, the "Walking God" Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati, and the 69th, Sri Jayendra Saraswati—who have worked tirelessly to integrate national culture by renovating temples, establishing Veda Patasalas, and promoting social welfare. Today, under the leadership of the 70th Acharya, Sri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswati, the Mutt continues to bridge ancient tradition with modern humanitarianism by managing hospitals, schools for the disabled, and rural development schemes, all while upholding the sacred mission of "Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah" (Dharma protects those who protect it).

Sri Sankaranarayanan, born on March 13, 1969, Periyapalayam, a village near Arani in Tiruvallore District, was taken as Acharya to the Peetham as Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswati, on 29th May 1983, while He was studying at Polur. Under the tutelage of His Guru and Parama Guru, the rare fortune for a Peetathipadi, He also travelled throughout the country including remote places like Megalaya. He is deeply worried about the worsening moral and ethical values of the youth and the deteriorating educational standards and vanishing cultural and artistic talents in the country. He has initiated a number of measures to draw the youth, train them in all these aspects along with modern education. His keen interest to preserve our ancient literature has brought out many publications through the Matam in Indian and foreign languages for the benefit of devotees. He has conducted a number of training centres for youth in the name of Bakti Kendra, Dharma Kendra, Karma Kendra, etc, to inculcate in them our values and traditions 

(Source: Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam)

Born in 1999 as Duddu Satya Venkata Surya Subrahmanya Ganesha Sharma Dravid in the village of Annavaram, Andhra Pradesh, His Holiness Pujyashri Satya Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamiji underwent a path of rigorous spiritual and academic discipline from the age of six. Under the early guidance of the 70th Acharya, Sri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswathi, he mastered the Rigveda at Dwaraka Tirumala, earning the prestigious title of Salakshana Ghanapati, and subsequently achieved mastery over the Yajurveda, Samaveda, Shadangas, and Dashopanishads. His scholarly journey led him from serving as the Asthana Rig Veda Pandit at the Basara Gnana Saraswathi temple to Kanchipuram, where he immersed himself in the study of Sanskrit, the Shastras, and the Tamil language. This lifelong dedication to Vedic scholarship culminated on April 30, 2025, during the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya and the 2534th birth anniversary of Adi Shankara, when he was initiated into Sanyasa Deeksha and anointed as the 71st Shankaracharya of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham. Now bearing the name of his illustrious predecessor, he serves as a spiritual leader dedicated to the preservation of Dharma and the ancient traditions of the Mutt, bridging his profound youth with the timeless responsibilities of the Peetham.