Sanyas Over Million Bucks: Know Why These 9 IIT Graduates Became Monks

The ongoing 45-day-long Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 has sparked interest in personalities like IITian Baba aka Abhay Singh, who've chose to dedicate their lives in search of eternal happiness through spirituality over million-dollar salaries. Know all about nine such Indian Institutes of Technology ( IIT ) alumni and what made them alter their high paying career paths for spiritual awakening.

IITian Baba aka Abhay Singh

Baba Abhay SIngh,30, holds a B.Tech in Aeronautical Engineering from IIT Bombay and was employed in a financially lucrative gig in Canada, however, three years ago, the IITian Baba devoted his life to asceticism, and garnered attention for it during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela 2025.

Sanket Parekh

The IIT-Bombay graduate, Sanket Parekh, left a lucrative job in the US to lead a life as a Jain monk. Parekh has embarked on a quest for spiritual enlightenment. He underwent two years of rigorous meditation under the guidance of Acharya Yug Bhushan Suri.

Aviral Jain

The computer science graduate from IIT BHU, Aviral Jain, was working for Walmart in the US, earning a hefty salary. The young IIT alumni chose to transition from aiming higher on the corporate ladder to embracing life as a Jain monk. As a disciple of Vishuddha Sagar Ji Maharaj, he dedicates himself to rigorous meditation on a day-to-day basis.

Acharya Prashant

Acharya Prashant, who has garnered a massive following on social media as a spiritual leader, is an alumnus of the prestigious IIT Delhi. His academic qualifications also boast of an MBA from the best business school in India, IIM-Ahmedabad. Presently, Acharya Prashant’s sermons and extensive collection of hundreds of books serve as a source of enlightenment, inspiring individuals worldwide.

Sanket Parekh

The IIT-Bombay graduate, Sanket Parekh, left a lucrative job in the US to lead a life as a Jain monk. Parekh has embarked on a quest for spiritual enlightenment. He underwent two years of rigorous meditation under the guidance of Acharya Yug Bhushan Suri.

Swami Vidyanath Nanda

Swami Vidyanath Nanda aka Mahan MJ is a former IIT Kanpur graduate with a PhD in Mathematics from the University of California (UCLA). In 2008, he chose to renounce the typical way of life to become part of the Ramakrishna Math. He is also a Professor of Mathematics at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Mumbai. Through his spirituality, he imparts profound insights into the depths of life.

Gauranga Das

Gauranga Das left his professional career to join the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). He is a chemical engineering graduate from the prestigious IIT Bombay,

Now ranking among India’s most respected motivational speakers, he makes use of his scientific background with spiritual insights to offer solutions to existential issues.

Swami Mukundananda

After a strong urge to quit his corporate gig for spirituality, Swami Mukundananda, an alumnus of IIT Madras and IIM Kolkata embraced the life of a sanyasi. He is the founder of Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Yoga Sansthan, an organisation that teaches meditation, and yoga.

Rasanath Das

Rasanath Das, a Computer Science graduate from IIT Delhi, also holds an MBA from Cornell University. After a brief time as a corporate employee, he went on spiritual journey, and becoming associated with ISKCON. Driven by his spiritual pursuits, he founded Upbuild, an organisation dedicated to cultivating inner leadership qualities in individuals through spirituality.

Sandeep Kumar Bhatt

Sandeep Kumar Bhatt, the gold medalist engineering degree holder from IIT Delhi, also embraced the life of sanyas. At 28, he made the unexpected decision to renounce the material world and chose the moniker Swami Sundar Gopaldas.