Mysuru: The centenary celebrations of the late Suttur mutt seer Shivaratri Rajendra Swami will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi at the Maharaja’s College Grounds on January 2.

S P Manjunath, secretary of JSS Mahavidyapeetha, speaking to reporters on Tuesday said, “The mutt, which had a long history of more than a thousand years, started educational institutions and service organisations like hospitals under the leadership the late seer Shivaratri Rajendra Swami and now ran over 300 institutions serving 60,000 students with the help of 10,000 staffers.

“The governments only recently thought of providing food to students as one cannot study on an empty stomach. But the seer started free hostels for students way back in the 1950s to provide both education and food.

In view of making an impact on society, and not just celebrating the centenary of the seer, various meaningful programmes have been chalked out. The valedictory of the centenary will be held in August 2016,” he said.

Governor Vajubhai R Vala, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and others are likely to attend the function.