Sathguru Gnanananda was a peerless Himalayan sage and a Loka guru from the lineage of Adi Shankara Bhagwadpada.He was the sixth pontiff of Jyothir Mutt, one of the four mutts established by Adi Shankara.

Born in Mangalapuri( present day Mangalore) in North Kanara district in Karnataka to Sri Venkoba Ganapatigal and Smt. Sakkubai, he was named Subramanya. His Upanayanam (sacred thread ceremony) was conducted at the tender age of seven. Even at a young age, he would be immersed in contemplation. When he turned twelve, he was led by a divine light to the holy pilgrimage town of Pandharpur, located on the banks of the Chandrabaga River, in Maharashtra. It is here that he met Sri Sivaratna Giri Swamigal, who was camping in Pandharpur along with his disciples. Sri Sivaratna Giri Swamigal was the fifth pontiff of the Jyothir Mutt. Sri Sivaratna Giri Swamigal accepted Subramanya as his disciple. After getting permission from his parents, Subramanya accompanied Sri Sivaratna Giri Swamigal to Jyothir Mutt. Under the tutelage of his Guru, Subramanya mastered the Vedas, Upanishads, Yoga and Advaita Vedanta. Subsequently, he was initiated into the Sanyasa order and was given the name Swami Gnanananda Giri.  After nominating him as the sixth Peetadhipadi, Sri Sivaratna Giri Swamigal attained Mahasamadhi on Chitra Poornima. After a few years, Gnanananda Giri named Ananda Giri as the Peetadhipadi and went to the Himalayas to do rigorous penance. He travelled extensively by foot across India, Sri Lanka, Burma and Malaysia. Wherever he went, people were graced by his presence.

Swami Gnanananda Giri established ashrams in Tamil Nadu in South India, namely Siddhalingamadam, Attayampatti, Yercaud and he spent many years at these ashrams. Eventually, he established an ashram, Sri Gnanananda Thapovanam on the northern banks of the river Pennar in the South Arcot district of Tamil Nadu.

Swami Gnanananda Giri was an ageless saint. To write about him is like trying to write about an ocean. In Thapovanam, he would be seated in the main hall in the morning during prayer time. His radiance lit up the entire ashram. His eyes would always be upwards, in bliss and in an unfathomable state of consciousness. In communication, he always referred to himself in third person singular.

Swami Gnanananda Giri was the epitome of grace and love and would always welcome people from all walks of life. When somebody came to Thapovanam to meet Swami, he would first ask them to go to the dining hall and have a meal.

People would feel peace and joy in his divine presence. He would also guide people on their spiritual journey, while helping them alleviate their problems. He had a childlike innocence and could often be seen playing with children. Many learned monks and revered persons would seek his spiritual counsel.

Swami had said that he was present when Totapuri Baba was giving deeksha to Ramkrishna Paramahamsa.

Ramana Maharishi, Ramalinga Swamigal( Vadalur), Gopalakrishna Bharati, Appaiya Deekshithar,Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar ,Mahasannidhanam Abhinava Vidyateerthar, Satya Sai Baba, Pudukottai Gopalkrishna Bhagavathar, Yogi Surat Kumar and many others were in constant touch with him.

Among his many disciples were Swami Vidyananda Giri, Swami Triveni Giri, Swami Dasa Giri and Swami Mukundananda.