Vivekananda Kendra HQ, Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari

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Contents VIP Visitors to Vivekananda Rock Memorial .......................... 43

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Contents
sarve santu niraamaya ............................................................ 3
P. Parameswaranji attains immortality ................................... 8
Parameswaranji — Saint in White Robes ................................. 8
Tributes to Parameswaranji................................................... 11
Vivekananda Kendra Kanyakumari ........................................ 12
Mananeeya Balakrishnanji is our new President ................... 13
Education .............................................................................. 14
Health ................................................................................... 17
Rural and Tribal Welfare Activities ........................................ 18
Skill Development Projects .................................................... 18
Arun Jyoti .............................................................................. 19
VK Prashikshan Va Seva Prakalp ............................................ 19
Rural Development Programme ............................................ 20
Natural Resources Development Project ............................... 21
Odisha Seva Prakalpa - Odhisa............................................... 21
Address by the Honourable President of India ....................... 22
Publication ............................................................................ 25
Vivekananda Kendra – Centers, Institutes and Foundations .. 27
Vivekananda Kendra’s Karyapaddhati – Four Dimensions ..... 29
Utsavas - Guru Poornima....................................................... 30
Utsavas - Universal Brotherhood Day .................................... 31
Utsavas - Sadhana Divas ........................................................ 32
Utsavas - Gita Jayanti ............................................................ 32
Utsavas - Samartha Bharat Parva –Vivekananda Jayanti ........ 33
Inauguration of VK AICYAM................................................... 34
Ek Bharat Vijayi Bharat .......................................................... 35
Visit of Prime Minister of India .............................................. 38
Awards & Achievements ....................................................... 40
Shraddhanjali ....................................................................... 41
Vivekananda Kendra HQ, Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari . 42
VIP Visitors to Vivekananda Rock Memorial .......................... 43
From The General Secretary .................................................. 44
Vivekananda Kendra on Social Media .................................... 45
Your Contribution Matters .................................................... 46
_
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sarve santu niraamaya
The whole world is passing through a very
unprecedented situation since few months.
COVID 19 has taught many lessons at various
levels. It has compelled the human being to
look within, to think about whole life as such
and made him realize of the need of course
correction. First it was felt that the situation
due to Covid – 19 is just a matter of few weeks.
But as the severity of the situation dawned, the
first lesson that was taught to human beings
was lesson in humility. A virus of an
inconsequential size could bring the whole
human society to standstill. Man, in his
ignorance boasts many times. But his plans
could be done or undone in no time. Secondly,
man also realized that real problem – or let us
say virus - of this beautiful blue planet is man.
As he got confined into homes, the beautiful
birds started coming out in open, the
handsome bucks and deer started coming out
on roads near forests, the waters of the rivers
became purer and swans were seen floating
over the water bodies. It seemed as if Mother
Earth is healing herself after confining the
biggest virus i.e. man to the home.
We do not know still how long the black
shadows of this infection will continue to fall
on our lives. But the prayer that comes to our
mind again and again is ‘Sarve Bhavantu
Sukhina, Sarve Santu Niraamaya… – Let all be
happy and let all be free from diseases…’ This is
the prayer of India since ages. The prayer is not
restricted to the well-being of any particular
group of people. It is not even restricted to only
human beings but it includes everything in the
- Nivedita Bhide,
Vice President,
Vivekananda Kendra Kanyakumari
universe. The only country where the Ishvara is
seen as pervading the universe, where Atman –
one’s real nature- is divine, the only country
which sees everything in this universe as
interconnected, interrelated and
interdependent can pray like this. Furthermore,
it is not just a well-wishing prayer but India has
developed such a culture where it is possible
that everyone could be Niraamaya.
During this Covid-19 situation, many have
realized the value of various cultural practices
of India. Indian traditions have stood the test of
time. The present situation provides the
context to look into our concept of health.
Indian civilization is very ancient. The cultural
India is much bigger than a present political
India. It is a very vast land since thousands of
years. Naturally it must have faced many
problems of diseases, epidemics and even
pandemics. The experience of thousands of
years must have made India to adopt a very
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healthy life style, so that the infections get
contained and controlled. During this Covid 19
pandemic, many such practices have come to
the fore - Like saying Namaste while greeting
others, the practice of washing hands and feet
before taking food; not to use the same clothes
which are worn outside the house, not to wear
the chappals or shoes inside the house, not to
touch others or one’s own face etc.
unnecessarily. The significance and importance
behind these practices is now very easily
understood. Though today India stand number
two in the world in total number of Covid-19
cases, it is much less in proportion to her
population. Even the death rate is much less
compared to many other countries. In spite of
modest or lack of facilities if we could contain
it, is because of our practices.
But not just these practices, we also have
complete science of life called Ayurveda.
Actually, Ayurveda is more than a science, it is
a Shastra. Shastra is different from science in
two ways. Science only states the facts as and
when obtained through the process of
experiments, observations and inferences. But
if more data comes to the fore or if some
phenomena that theory is unable to explain
then next set of scientific truths (theories) are
forwarded. Thus, the theories keep changing in
science. Shastra also follows its own scientific
methods to come to know the facts, but these
are tested over generations before accepting as
truths. Science tells the theory based on that
technology develops, but it does not tell man
how to behave. Thus, the outer development
takes place, technological power is accessible
to man, but to use that power judiciously in the
interest of the humanity, the proper inner
discipline is not inculcated. But in Shastra,
apart from telling the principles, how life is to
be lived, the do’s and don’ts are also insisted.
Thus, Ayurveda is a Shastra primarily for
leading healthy life. Treatment of diseases is
only the secondary focus.
In Ayurvedic texts, the details of how to live
healthy life is given. For example, in
Ashtangahridayam by Sri Vagbhatacharya after
the introductory chapter, the next chapters are
about daily routine for healthy life; what
changes we should bring in our life-regimen
like, food, sleep, work, exercises etc. in each
season; a chapter detailing about what is to be
done for not getting any diseases etc. are
given.
Apart from what is documented and available
in literature, we have many practices in various
communities as tradition which are for
containing and controlling diseases including
contagious diseases.
These practices get corroborated most of the
times in Ayurveda literature. During epidemics
or pandemic each community has its own
poojas in which many such items such as
Turmeric, Neem leaves, ginger etc. are used
which protect from infections. These poojas
would be mainly collective and in these poojas
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drums are used. There is a very curious
reference in Ayurvedic texts that if the
dundubhi (big drums) is beaten with some
medicines applied to them then the microbes
which are troublesome to the human being are
killed. This may be a topic worthy for research
with modern scientific methods. In many
villages after certain poojas, the village is
closed for the outsiders; neither the outsider
can come in nor the insider can go out. This is
similar to modern quarantine practice. Many
such practices which are preserved by our
communities and janajatis which are otherwise
not practiced in cities may be looked into and
studied to know the science behind it.
The corona virus becomes more virulent if
already some morbidities are there in a patient.
So, many have started taking care of one’s
health. Regular exercises, meditation, and
home-made food also helped many to improve
their health. The time available was also used
in many constructive endeavours. The lock-
down period turned out as a boon for them.
But those who were not strong internally
collapsed in this enforced confinement in
homes, underscoring the importance of why
the inner strength is to be cultivated. This is
what Ayurveda tells that body has three Doshas
– the imbalanced Kapha, Pitta and Vaata and
mind has two doshas Rajas and Tamas. If the
manasik doshas go out of control then also the
diseases can afflict a person. The diseases are
categorized into Nija and Aagantu. Nija
diseases are from within like diabetes, hyper
tension etc. Aagantu is due to Bhuta which
come from outside. Bhuta is not to be
understood as ghosts. It is defined as
मनष्ु योपद्रवकारिण: सक्ष्
ू मा: गणववशेषा: भत
ू : |
(Yajur Veda) - small microbes which trouble the
human beings. Only if mind and body are
imbalanced these Agaantu can play havoc. To
control both type of diseases we have to lead a
healthy life-style controlling the doshas of mind
and body.
How to remove the doshas of mind? In
Ashtnagahridayam while talking about daily
routine for healthy life Vagbhatacharya tells in
about 11 shlokas as to how our actions and
mental make-up should be. Once while
travelling a Christian nun had asked me, ‘As we
Christians have ten commandments do you
Hindus have anything like that which tells how
to behave?’ I told her, ‘Of course every book
talk of Sadhana part i.e. how to behave.’ She
asked me, ‘For example?’ I told her about, ‘Gita
and Yama Niyama’. She was surprised, as she
was given to understand that there is no moral
teaching in Hindu Dharma. Even in the book on
health, the importance to our behaviour with
others is emphasized. These 11 shlokas from
20th to 30th give the following advice.
All desire happiness but real happiness is
possible by practice of Dharma so
follow Dharma. Listen to the advice of those
who wish you good. Atmavat satatam pashyet
api keetpipeelikam – See always even the
insects and ants with feeling of oneness. Avoid
violence, stealing, wrong actions, gossiping,
harsh talk, falsehood, hypocrisy, plans to finish
off some one, appropriating others wealth.
Behave with others as per what Shastra tells.
Behave considerately with those who do not
have any means of income, who are afflicted
with sorrow or disease. Always respect
Devatas, cow, brahman, elderly persons,
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doctor, king and guest. Do good to all but do
not remember unkindness of others. Practice
equanimity in wealth and difficult days. Think
about the causes that why such situation has
come but do not avoid or dislike adverse
situation.
Speak at right time, speak briefly (Mitam) and
what is beneficial (hitam). Speak such words
which no one can oppose. Speak sweetly. Be
Poorvabhashi – speaking first, benign faced and
contented, compassionate and soft. Do not
desire happiness for oneself only, do not
believe everyone or disbelieve everyone. Never
declare yourself as enemy of others or declare
others as your enemy, do not discuss with
others about those who humiliate you or the
lack of affection from elders, friends and
master. Understanding the other’s intent
behave with him and see he is satisfied; such
persons is called as Pararadhana Pandita.
Neither trouble your Indriyas nor indulge in
them. Do not be extreme in following any
Dharma. Always practice balance in life.
Sarvadharmeshu Madhyamam.
There is a positive reason to maintain health.
We are not born in vacuum or by accident.
Each life has a purpose. The importance is
given to health, because body is looked upon as
the primary equipment to fulfil our duty and
purpose in life towards the Samashti i.e. family,
society, nation and the whole creation -
Shararimadyam khalu Dharma Sadhanam.
शिीिमाद्यम खलु धममसाधनं l The concept of
health is not individual-based but it is
community-based, as our physical, mental and
social health is interlinked with the
surroundings. Thus, in many traditional
communities – Janajatis all over the world if a
person is sick whole community is involved in a
pooja to cure that person. As we have seen, the
cause of disease may be from outside but the
mind also plays equally important role. The
whole clan or community gathers to participate
in the pooja in which medicinal herbs are used
but it also functions as a mind-strengthening
event for a patient seeing so many caring for
him.
As everything is interconnected, interrelated
and interdependent, it becomes natural to
work and pray for the health of all. Many
experienced this oneness and caring in this
pandemic. Though it is highly contagious
disease, thousands of persons worked for
screening, for treatment, for feeding and even
for cremating the bodies. If the proper
documentation of this service that was
rendered by thousands of persons is done, it
would be seen that in the whole world, India
stands foremost in people coming forward and
working for the corona patients putting their
own life at danger. Many had moving
experiences which portray the inherent inner
strength and oneness of our society. Even very
poor person would return the provisions given
to him, saying he has provisions for one week
and these could be given to the more needy
person than him. If this empathy, oneness,
compassion is experienced then the higher
purpose of service to others is realized.
Why do we render help to others? Because
others are not ‘others’ but are manifestation of
same Being which pervades all. Thus, serving
others helps in one’s own inner development
and Chittsuddhi i.e. purifying of the mind.
Unless the mind is purified off all the vikaras
like anger, jealousy, greed, inertia, attachments
etc. which come from Rajas and Tamas, unless
we are completely free from physical or mental
afflictions, we would not be able to employ our
body and mind fruitfully in fulfilment of our
duties towards the Samashti. Reversely, unless
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we serve others without any expectations the
mind would not get cleaned of its afflictions.
The prayer – Sarve Bhavantu Sukhina, Sarve
Santu Niraamaya… prayer is not for oneself or
just for humanity but for all. In the
interconnected world others health, their life
style, practices, food habits also matter. If one
interferes with the nature, it is bound to
rebound on man. This pandemic underlines the
wisdom of this vision of interconnectedness
and interdependence and therefore leading the
life with restraint and concern for others. In his
greed man was running after acquiring as much
as he could. The greed is consuming man and
making him selfish and individualistic. This
mental affliction greed can be understood and
cured if we understand the lesson during
Corona, that in reality we can live on less
amount. We were spending more on
unnecessary expenses, hoteling etc. If really
man learns the lessons during Corona-period
(which is not yet over) all the loss of life, loss of
finance, sufferings would be worth.
There is something very interesting to note.
The prayer is for all to be Niraamaya.
Niraamaya means nirgatah aamayo yasmat sa. कममजं बवु ियक्
ु ता हि फलं त्यक्त्वा मनीवषणः ।
Recovered from sickness. Aamaya is sickness or
जन्मबन्धववतनमक्
ुम ताः पदं गच्छन्त्यनामयम ् ॥2.51
disease or affliction. Interestingly, the names of
‘The sages who have united their reason and
Shiva and Vishnu is Anaamay. Adi
will with the Divine renounce the fruit which
Shankaracharya in his commentary of
action yields and, liberated from the bondage
Vishnusahasranama gives the meaning of
Anamaya as अन्तिबाह्यैि व्याधधभभ: कममजै: न
पीडयत इतत अनामय - Aantarbahyair vyadhibhi:
Karmajair na peedyata iti anamaya. The one
who is not affected by diseases either from
outside (Aagantu) or inside (Nija) caused by his
actions is Anamay. Amarkosha defines
Anaamaya as - Where there is no unhappiness
but only well being. All the afflictions are due
to our actions either of this birth or of earlier of birth, they reach the status beyond misery.’
births. If we take care of our actions then we That is the ultimate goal of human life. To
become Niraamaya i.e. whose afflictions are reach there, our efforts, our service to others
removed physical as well as mental. The should continue, the work must go on. In the
journey of man has to be from Niraamaya - present situation, we may have to adopt
recovering from afflictions to Anaamaya - never different avenues of service, but work should
getting afflictions. not stop. In this situation, with prayer and
practice for Sarve Santu Niramaaya, service to
Bhagavad Gita guides us for that journey.
others without claiming fruits of actions should
Perform proper actions – Karyam Karma
go on.
Samachara but give up the fruits of actions.
___
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 P. Parameswaranji attains immortality

Parameswaranji — Saint in White Robes

- S Gurumurthy
Chairman,
Vivekananda International Foundation

Parameswaranji, as he was known to his
countless admirers, is no more. P
Parameswaran, who became the pracharak of
RSS when he was 23 and ceaselessly worked for
70 years more till he breathed his last, had only
one mission in life that was nation and one
deity that was Bharatmata. Though an
organisation man, his acute intellectual urge
drove him to found the Bharatiya Vichara
Kendram in Thiruvananthapuram decades ago,
through which he expounded the other,
uncelebrated spiritual mind of Kerala. For a
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quarter-century until his demise, he headed
and spread the work of Vivekananda Kendra,
Kanyakumari, which is doing a yeoman’s
service to the distanced and disadvantaged
people of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Assam,
Manipur, Meghalaya and Andaman Islands.
Undeterred by the stately power of contextual
Kerala intellectualism, he remained a
centennial seer who looked beyond his life and
times as he spoke and wrote for decades with
dignity and respect towards those who
disagreed with him, even derided him.
MULTI-DIMENSIONAL PERSONALITY
He was a multidimensional personality. A
prodigious reader, he must have read
thousands of titles in his mother tongue and
English. A prolific writer, he has written over 20
books, in Malayalam and English. As a
journalist, he ceaselessly wrote for decades,
particularly columns in Yuva Bharati, a journal
of Vivekananda Kendra which he edited. He
was an elegant orator in both English and
Malayalam and he spoke not to win the
approval of his audience but to impart what he
thought they should know. He was an
extraordinary, original thinker. He was wrongly
regarded as a ‘right-wing’ thinker based on the
popular division in the Indian discourse which
draws its norms and labels from Western
dictionary. What needs to be recalled when
Parameswaran is not around is not his personal
details, but the social thinking he expounded in
the most difficult times in Kerala.
NEHRU GAVE UP, PARAMESWARAN DIDN’T
Parameswaran continued to expound his
nationalist mission, which he had undertaken
as his life mission, in the Left-dominated Kerala
as the full-time Pracharak of the RSS. It was the
same idea of Hindu nationalism which Swami
Vivekananda had more than a century before
propounded and triggered the freedom
movement of India. That Swami Vivekananda’s
thoughts inspired the Indian freedom
movement was accepted by the leaders of the
movement including Maharishi Aurobindo, Bal
Gangadhar Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, Pundit
Nehru, Netaji Bose and Rajaji, to mention a
few. Throughout out his life, Parameswaran
expounded only the concept of Hindu
nationalism of Swami Vivekananda, which
Jawaharlal Nehru fully accepted in the mid-
1930s, which most scholars on secularism
either did not know or kept it suppressed
despite knowing. Nehru wrote “A famous
disciple of Ramakrishna was Swami
Vivekananda, who very eloquently and forcibly
preached the gospel of nationalism....
Vivekananda’s nationalism was Hindu
nationalism, and it had its roots in the Hindu
religion and culture. This was not in any way
anti-Muslim or anti-anyone else...” [Jawaharlal
Nehru, Glimpses of World History, Penguin
Books New Delhi, 2004, p 437] Post-
independence, however, Nehru moved away
from Vivekananda’s nationalism but
Parameswaran did not.
Nehru, who gave up Vivekananda, was
celebrated as secular and those like
Parameswaran who held on to Vivekananda
were labelled un-secular. Parameswaran was
finally vindicated by the Supreme Court in the
Hindutva judgement in 1995. The court said
that no meaning in the abstract can confine the
terms `Hindu’, `Hindutva’ and `Hinduism’ to the
narrow limits of religion alone, excluding the
content of Indian culture and heritage and
added that Hindutva is related more to the way
of life of the people in the sub-continent. This
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idea of India as a cultural entity is for which
Parameswaran lived and fought throughout his
life. The secular parties clamoured for 20 years
for the review of the Hindutva judgement, but,
in 2016 a seven-judge bench of the Supreme
Court ruled that the judicial view that Hinduism
is a way of life and constitutes the culture and
heritage of India should stand and not
reviewed. The mainline secular political
discourse may still evade the undeniable fact
that what Parameswaran was expounding as
the idea and identity of India was finally
accepted by the Supreme Court.
Parameswaran, who had no personal desire
even his lifetime, must have closed his eyes as
a highly fulfilled man, for the idea of for which
he had worked for decades had been
legitimised by the Supreme Court.
NEITHER LEFT NOR RIGHT
The Indian philosophy of which Parameswaran
was a product, distinguishes between spiritual
and material spheres of thought. It does not
know any Left or Right in thought. And, yet by
formal label, he was perceived as a Right Wing
thinker in Kerala, the land of the Left thinkers.
Anyone who left out from among the Left in
Kerala was, by definition, Right Wing. And by
extension, Parameswaran was seen as
conservative, and by further extension, as even
un-secular and anti-secular. It is this automatic
labelling, not truth, that defined
Parameswaranji’s role in Kerala discourse
which turned unidirectional because of political
power. Parameswaran resisted and defied this
unidirectional intellectualism of Kerala. The
Indian thought system transcends the Western
distinction between conservative and liberal,
which is inadequate to comprehend Indian
intellectuals.
Can the Western labels comprehend whether
Swami Vivekananda, the spiritualist, was a
conservative or liberal. The western materialist
thought labels are inadequate to comprehend
a spiritually oriented intellectuals like
Parameswaran. He was neither Left, nor Right
in his thinking. He was just nationalistic in
polity that only saw people as either Left or
Right. His potential as a thought giver to Kerala
was not fully actualised because of the political
label attached to a trans-political thinker that
Parameswaran was.
KERALA NEEDS TO RECALL PARAMESWARAN
He got late recognition by awards including
Padma awards. As he did not desire any award,
he added merit to the awards, not the other
way round. The quintessence of Parameswaran
is for what he was less known outside. He was,
within, a saint in white robes. It is that inner
saintly element in him which made him pursue
his mission undeterred for 70 long years
without expecting anything in return, against
all odds. One among the intellectual giants who
had shaped contemporary Kerala in the past
five decades, his demise removes from Kerala’s
public discourse a towering example of such
great men. Kerala, which has strayed away
from its spiritual core and persisted with
unspiritual materialism for too long, needs to
recall Parameswaran to reboot itself for better
future.
___
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Tributes to Parameswaranji
“Deeply saddened by the demise of
Shri Parameswaranji, a prolific
writer, researcher & founder-
director of Bharatiya Vichara
Kendram. He was an embodiment
of Indian thought and philosophy”.
“Parameswaranji was the embodiment of the
qualities required for a swayamsevak and a
- M VenkaiahNaidu,
pracharak. He displayed strength, character, was Vice President of India
knowledgeable and was a fighter. A humble
person, he was a living model of Gita Upadesh
who had grasped its essence.”
– Sarsanghchalak Mohanji Bhagavat.

“Parameswaranji was a theoretician

who dedicated his entire life to further
his political beliefs.”
- Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

11
Vivekananda Kendra Kanyakumari
spiritually oriented service organisation
Mananeeya Eknathji Ranade, the force behind
Vivekananda Rock Memorial, did not stop after the completion of
the monument in granite. He strongly felt that Swami Vivekananda’s life
giving messages are to be spread throughout the country. Therefore he
decided to build a monument in flesh and blood. So was formed
Vivekananda Kendra – a cadre based service organization of totally
dedicated young men and women of India, trained and deployed to take up
service activities especially in the economically backward and janjati areas
of the country. It was the dream of Swami Vivekananda coming true.

All the service activities of Vivekananda Kendra are centered on the thought
– ‘Service to Man is Worship of God’.

All the workers are guided by the National Ideal – ‘Service and
Renunciation’ and are working throughout the country with the twin ideal
of “Man Making Nation Building”.
Vivekananda Kendra has activities in Arunachal
Vivekananda Kendra has taken up service activities in Pradesh, Assam, Paschim Bengal, Bihar-Jharkhand,
Odhisa,Telugu, Dakshin, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar
the following areas – Education, Rural Development, Health
Pradesh, Madhya Prant, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Prant.
and Hygiene, Natural Resources Development, Women
and Youth Empowerment.
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Mananeeya Balakrishnanji is our new President
Mananeeya A. Balakrishnanji is the new President of Vivekananda Kendra
Kanyakumari.

A jeevanvrati of the first batch of Vivekananda Kendra, Ma. Balakrishnanji was elected as
President of Vivekananda Kendra at the Managing Committee meeting held on July 19, 2020.

Ma. Balakrishnanji succeeds former President P Parameswaranji who passed away some
months ago due to old age.

After his retirement from the Indian Air Force, Balakrishnanji came in contact with Eknathji
Ranade, the founder of Vivekananda Kendra, and was trained as a life-worker in the first
batch of 1973 by Eknathji himself. After the training, Balakishnanji was posted in the North-
Eastern region as Zonal Organizer. From 1981 to 2001, he held the responsibility as General
Secretary. It was under his leadership that the Vivekananda Kendra started the residential
Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas in Arunachal Pradesh in 1977.

Since 2001, he had the responsibility as the Vice-President.

Earlier, Prof P Mahadevanji - 1972-76, Prof Khushiram Nebhraj alias Kamal Nayan Vaswaniji
– 1976-1978, Mananeeya Eknathji Ranade – 1978 to 1982, Dr M Lakshmi Kumari Didi – 1982
to 1995 and Sri P Parameswaranji – 1995 to 2020 served the Kendra as Presidents.

Mananeeya Balakrishnanji is the sixth President.

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Education through Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas and colleges for
teachers and nursing.
33,996 students, 1641 teachers,
5767 villages covered, 49 janjatis benefitted.
Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas
in India
ARUNACHAL PRADESH - 40
ASSAM - 24
NAGALAND - 1
ANDAMAN& NICOBAR ISLAND - 11
TAMILNADU - 2
KARNATAKA - 1

All India - 79
 VK College of Teacher Education @ Nirjuli, Arunachal Pradesh
 VKNRL School of Nursing, Numaligarh, Assam
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https://www.vkv.in https://www.vknrlnursingschool.
edu.in
Education
Strengthening nation through Indigenous culture
 Local Prayer songs practice.
 Visiting of ganging, Nyedar Namlo, Gompa, Ranfraa Traditional attire worn by students
mandir etc. of VKV Basar

 Celebration of indigenous Festivals. @ VKV Basar

 Bhoomi Pujan in the indigenous way

 Promotion of Satriya dance, Naam kirtan, Bhaona.
 Wearing of traditional attire
Indigenous Faith Day celebration @ VKV Balijan

Students of VKV every year participate in the National and

International competitions and events – be it of academic or sports
excellence or extra-curricular activities. VKVs stand for over-all
personality development of our students – the future of India.
National Day at VKV Golaghat

15
https://www.vkvapt.org
Lige Basar – student of Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, Oyan participated
in seeing Chandrayaan landing on moon with the Hon'ble Prime Minister
Shri Narendra Modi

VKV Oyan Student Kumar Lige Basar with

Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi witnessing landing of Chandrayan 2.

16
http://www.vkspv.org
Health through Vivekananda Kendra’s swasthya sewa
Vivekananda Kendra runs three hospitals, two OPD clinics and five health
programs under its swasthya sewa.
3,216 indoors patients, 1,59,664 outdoor patients, 955
surgeries, 110 villages covered.

VK Bharat Oman Ref. Ltd. Hospital, Indian Oil Company Ltd VK Hospital, VK Numaligarh Refinery Ltd Hospital,
Bina, Madhya Pradesh: YoE - 2008 Paradip, Odisha : YoE – 2012 Numaligarh, Assam : YoE – 1997

Mother & Child awareness Program World Health Day Program Mobile Medical Camps

17

https://www.vkborl.org http://www.vknrlh.co.in https://www.vkiocl.org

Rural and Tribal Welfare Activities and
Skill Development Projects
 Arun Jyoti
 Odisha Seva Prakalp
 VK Prashikshan Va Seva Prakalp
 Rural Development Project
 Natural Resources Development
Project
 Skill Development Project
243 villages covered
39,364 beneficiaries of 334
medical and
38 eye camps.
18
Arun Jyoti – Arunachal Pradesh
20,119 people benefitted by
medical, surgery, health awareness
camps; tailoring units, training camps,
balwadis, anandalayas, ignited youth
Ignited Youth Forum Free Medical Camp
forum and festivals.

VK Prashikshan Va Seva Prakalp – Pimplad,

Maharashtra

Free Medical Camp Reading Room for Children Mall Khamb

19

https://www.vkarunjyoti.org https://www.vkpsp.org
Rural Development Programme – VK-RDP
Southern Six districts of Tamilnadu – Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi,
Thoothukudi, Ramnad and Viruthunagar.
88,040 benefitted by
balwadis, medical camps,
tailoring units, amrut
surubhi, adopt-a-granny,
deep pujas, anna pujas,
Deep Puja, VK-RDP Tailoring Unit
cultural activities for
students.

Health Camp Balwadi Anna Puja, VK-RDP

20

https://www.vkrdp.org
Natural Resources Development Project-
Tamilnadu
3,757 people benefitted by
programs for Eco-friendly
construction technology,water
management, organic farming,
holistic health and renewable
UP Chief Minister Yogiji at VK-Nardep Ferro-Cement Technology Training
energy.
Odisha Seva Prakalpa - Odhisa
6774 beneficiaries of
Anandalayas, audio-visual
programs, computer
literacy, mobile medical
unit and libraries. Anandalaya Medical Camp

21

https://www.vknardep.org https://www.greenrameswaram.org

Shri A. Balakrishnan,
Vice-President, Vivekananda Rock
Memorial and Vivekananda Kendra
Distinguished Guests, Ladies
Gentlemen
My greetings to all of you! I feel blessed
here, as coming to the Vivekananda
Rock Memorial and the Vivekananda
Kendra is a very special pilgrimage
indeed. We have gathered at a place
which continuously emits to us highly
positive vibes. Vivekananda Rock
ADDRESS BY THE HON'BLE
PRESIDENT OF INDIA SHRI RAM NATH KOVIND
AT THE VIVEKANANDA KENDRA
Kanyakumari, December 26th, 2019
Memorial and Vivekananda Kendra are
among those few spots which are
naturally endowed with an ambience of
extraordinary serenity. They bring the
unquiet mind to rest and lead it to
and
ponder perennial questions. It was this
spiritual power of the rock at the very
feet of Bharat Mata which drew Swami
Vivekananda to Kanyakumari in his
quest for inner peace 127 years ago on
25th December, 1892, Swamiji began
deep meditation at the site where the
rock is situated today.
In three days and three nights, a simple
monk transformed himself into global
messenger of Bharatiya Sanskriti.
Swamiji attained enlightenment in this
region here and sparked a unique
spiritual revolution. It was not for an
individual's own salvation; it was for the
rejuvenation of the spiritual values of the
motherland and service of its people.
More recently I have gone through the
wonderful experience of watching a play
on the life of Swami Vivekananda at
Parliament and was mesmerized by his
evolution as a "realized soul".
In this context, let me recall a letter
written by him on 19th March 1894 in
22
which Swamiji wrote about his plans. He
envisioned selfless sannyasins going
from village to village, educating people
and working to improve their condition.
He wrote, "We, as a nation, have lost our
individuality, and that is the cause of all
mischief in India. We have to give back
to the nation its lost individuality and
raise the masses."
Less than year after Kanyakumari
experience, on historic day of 11th
September, 1893, Swamiji made his
epoch-making speech in the Parliament
of the World's Religions in Chicago.
He told a gathering of religious leaders
from around the world that he was
proud to belong to a religion which has
taught the world both tolerance and
universal acceptance.
When Swamiji's birth centenary was
being celebrated in 1963, the people of
Kanyakumari thought of building a
memorial at the place where the
unknown monk became one of the
greatest spiritual leaders of modern
times. About 650 skilled artisans and
workers toiled day in and day out for six
President Shri Ramnath Kovind paying respects at the feet
of Swami Vivekananda on Vivekananda Rock Memorial
years. They made the memorial a symbol
of hard work, commitment and
dedication. The Vivekananda Rock
Memorial was inaugurated on
nd
2 September, 1970 by Shri V. V. Giri-ji,
who was the President of India then.
Over the last fifty years, it has inspired
countless visitors, especially youth of this
country, to lofty ideals.
I am sure many of you are familiar with
the campaign that preceded the
construction of this memorial. This
monument was made possible by the
untiring efforts of Shri Eknathji Ranade,
who mobilized the entire nation for the
project. Like a worthy disciple of Swami
Vivekananda, Eknathji lived the life of a
sage and devoted himself to the work of
resurrecting India's spiritual genius. For
this cause, he put his legendary
organizational skills to work.
'Karmayogi' Eknathji organized mass
contact program and involved lakhs of
people in the project. It was with the
humble contribution of one rupee each
from masses that the funds for this
project were collected. Moreover, he
met Members of Parliament, convinced
23
323 of them to sign appeal seeking
support for this cause. He brought
together supporters from across party
lines or religious lines to make this
majestic monument truly national in its
scope and ambitions. Eknathji did not
want to limit the Memorial of Swamiji to
a granite building. He believed that the
real memorial to Swamiji should be in
the hearts of people who would put the
nation above the self and serve the
needy. To further that aim, Vivekananda
Kendra was established on 7th January
1972 which has grown into a great
organization dedicated to service.
Vivekananda Kendra too will soon
celebrate its 50 years.
On 2nd September this year, we began
the celebrations of the fifty years of the
inauguration of the Rock Memorial. On
that day, I inaugurated the program
called “Ek Bharat Vijayi Bharat -
Sampark Karyakram”.
As part of the celebrations, under this expand horizons of our small individual
program, Vivekananda Kendra plans to identities. Both constantly invoke us to
spread the message of Swamiji to every move from mundane planes to a life on a
nook and corner of this land. I am higher plane. Standing magnificently
confident that it will make more and alone amid bare nature, the Rock
Memorial is the ultimate light house that
will continue to guide our ships to our
spiritual home amid turbulent seas.
May Swami Vivekananda’s life and
deeds continue to inspire this land in
President of India Shri Ramnath Kovind being facilitated by
Vivekananda Kendra’s then Vice President Shri A Balakrishnanji at years to come!
Eknath Hall, Vivekanandapuram.
more people realize the true significance
Thank you,
of the Vivekananda Rock Memorial as a
confluence of diversities, unifying them
Jai Hind!
into spiritual power.
India is often described as spanning
from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. One is in
________________
the lap of the lofty Himalayas, and the
other has in its lap this majestic
monument. Both the Himalayas and the
Vivekananda Rock Memorial remind
those living in this land the necessity to
24
Publication – Sahitya Sewa
Vivekananda Kendra
publications are available in
17 languages: Adi, Assomiya,
Bengali, Bodo, Dimasa, English,
Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Karbi,
642 titles
Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, in 17
Odiya, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu.
The printing of books is done languages,
through 10 centres viz. 7 periodicals,
Chennai, Jodhpur, Guwahati,
Mysuru, Bhubaneshwar, 31072
Kolkata, Hyderabad, subscribers.
Vadodara, Kodungallur, Pune
and Solapur.

25

https://prakashan.vrmvk.org
Publication – Sahitya Sewa
73,965 11 Public
Dinabodhinies programmes /
and 30,000 Book Release
Dinadarshikas programmes.
printed in English 1307 attended
and Marathi. talks/seminars.

Book release by VK Marathi Prakashan, Pune Book release by VK Hindi Prakashan, Jodhpur

26

http://ebook.vkendra.org http://emag.vkendra.org
Vivekananda Kendra – Centers, Institutes and Foundations
These centers cater to the special needs of a particular stratum of the society or deals with a particular
or a bunch of related issues. These could be from local janjatis to the international delegates, or for
enhancing human excellence as envisaged by Swami Vivekananda; or the developing the Vedic vision
in the society.
 Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture-
Guwahati;
 VK Vedic Vision Foundation-Kodungalloor,
Kerala.
 Vivekananda International Foundation-New
Delhi;
 Vivekananda Kendra Training Institute for
Excellence-Solapur;
 Vivekananda Kendra Kaushalam-Hyderabad;
 Vivekananda Kendra Acadamy for Indian
Culture, Yoga and Management-
Bhubaneshwar;
 Sri Ramakrishna Mahasammellan Ashram-
Nagadandi.

27

http://www.vkic.org https://www.vifindia.org https://www.vkaicyam.org

Vivekananda Kendra – Centers, Institutes and Foundations
Activities of
these centers
are diverse –
from discourses
on
Bhagavatam,
Vivekananda Kendra Vedic Vision Foundation, Kudangalloor organizing Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture, Guwahati

Bhandaras to
seminars on
Janjatis,
Training of
Professional,
and Talks on
International
Vivekananda Kendra Training Institute Excellence, Solapur Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi
issues.

https://srma.vkendra.org https://vktie.vkendra.org
28
https://www.vkvvf.org https://kaushalam.vkendra.org
Vivekananda Kendra’s Karyapaddhati – Four
Dimensions
Yoga Swadhyay Sanskar Varga Kendra
Varga Varga Varga

167 Yoga 170 Swadhyay 707 Sanskar 189 Kendra

Vargas, 2581 Vargas, 2522 Vargas-18180 Vargas, 2774
participants participants participants participants

29
Utsavas - Guru Poornima

528 Programs, 45,543 Participated

30
Utsavas - Universal Brotherhood Day

549 Programs, 63,224 Participated

31
Utsavas - Sadhana Divas

350 Programs, 37,749 Participated

Utsavas - Gita Jayanti

307 Programs, 40,839 Participated

32
Utsavas - Samartha Bharat Parva –
Vivekananda Jayanti

1,369 Programs, 1,69,563 Participated

33
Inauguration of VK AICYAM, Bhubaneshwar

‘Vivekananda Kendra-Acadamy for Indian Culture, Yoga and Management’ – Bhubaneshwar

inaugurated on 12th January 2020 - Vivekananda Jayanti –
in the presence of Central Minister Sri Dharmendra Pradhan, Prajnananda Mission President
Paramahamsa Prajnananda, RK Math Bhubaneshwar President Swami Atma Prabhananda.
Vivekananda Kendra Vice Presidents Ma. Balakrishnanji and Padmashri Nivedita Bhide were present.

34
 Ek Bharat Vijayi Bharat

Ek Bharat Vijayi Bharat – Vivekananda Kendra Adhikaris making the first

sampark with Hon President, Vice President and Prime Minister of India on the
2nd, 3rd and 4th September 2019 respectively.
35
 Ek Bharat Vijayi Bharat

VK Rajasthan Team with Rajasthan Governor Shri VK Maharashtra Team with Maharashtra Chief VK Uttar Pradesh Team with Uttar Pradesh
Kalraj Mishra Minister Shri Devendra Fadavnis Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath

Shri Kalraj Mishra

VK Bihar Team with Bihar Governor Shri Phagu Grandmaa of Anandalaya acharya from Patabari gram, VK Punjab Team withPunjab Governor Shri V.P.
Chauhan Odhisa had contributed Rs. 1/- for the construction of Singh Badnore
Vivekananda Rock Memorial

Total Sampark till February 2020 : 50,163

36

https://sampark.vrmvk.org
 Sri Thangarajaji takes
Vivekananda Shila Smarak - Ek Bharat – Vijayi Bharat
around the country
16,857 KM in 3 Months & 9 Days

Shri Thangaraja with VKVVF Director MananeeeyaDr. Laxmi
Kumarididi and other Karyakartas
at Kodungallur, Kerala
Shri Thangarajaji’s Yatra of 16 thousand Kilometres Shri Thangaraja with VKV Kallubalu team and
starting from Vivekanandapuram Kanyakumari with Karyakartas at Kallubalu, Bangalore
Bharat Mata’s blessings. General Secretary Bhanudasji,
Treasurer Shri Hanumanthraoji’s and other karyakartas
are present on this occasion.

Differently abled Shri Thangaraja carried the message of

“Ek Bharat Vijayi Bharat” to all the states of India, on his tricycle.

37
 Prime Minister of India visits
‘Ramayana Darshanam’ at Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari
1st March 2019

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji at Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji welcomed by Shri
Ramayana Darshanam Balakrishnanji at Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari.

‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ –

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi wrote on visitors’ book

38
Vivekananda International Foundation
organised Samvad III In Mangolia
Vice President of Vivekananda Kendra Padmashri Nivedita Bhide and
Chairman of Vivekananda International Foundation
Shri S Gurumurthy addressing the audience.

39

https://samvad-vifindia.org
Awards & Achievements

Dr M Lakshmi Kumari Didi, Director VK-VVF, received Manorama Thampuratti Award

Ma. Nivedita Bhide, Vice President Vivekananda Kendra received ‘Shiksha Ma. Pravin Dabholkar. Joint General
Bhushan’ award Secretary, received Swami Vivekanand
Puraskar 2020 by Rashtriya Shikshan
Samstha Dombivali
40
SHRADDHANJALI - They lived A LIFE of service and dedication, and contributed in their own way to
make our world A BETTER place...
Swami Bhumanandaji - President, Ramakrishna
Math, Pune
Dr. Sri Sri Sri Sivakumara Swamigalu -
Siddhaganaga Mutt, Tumkuru
Sri I.P. Guptaji - Member of the Managing
Committee of the Kendra. Former Lt. Governor of
Andaman.
Sri Devendra Swaroopji - A Hindu thinker, General
Body member of Kendra
Sri George Fernandez - Former Minister of Railways
Sri Manohar Parrikar - Former Defense Minister,
CM of Goa
Sri Ranganath L. Kulkarni - Maharashtra Prant
Sanchalak
Sri Ram Kashalkar - Sthanik Jodhpur Nagar
Sri Mahendra Lodha - Sanchalak, Jodhpur Nagar
Swami Satyamitrananda Giri – Closely associated
with Mananeeya Eknathji and Vivekananda Kendra,
the Jagatguru Shankaracharya of an Upapeeth at
Jyotirmath, Padma Bhushan Awardee
Swami Tatvabodhananda – Vedanta Scholar from
Puduchery , Disciple of Swami Dayanand ji, earlier
associated with VK Madurai
Shri. B.M. Khaitan - Veteran Industrialist, Kolkata
Shri. B.K. Birla - Veteran Industrialist, Kolkata
Shri K. Nageshwar Rao - General Body Member,
Hyderabad
Shri. Robin Bezbaruah Nagar Sanchalak, Sivasagar
Ms. Sheila Dixit - President, Delhi Pradesh
Congress Committee
Smt. Sushma Swaraj - Former Minister of External
Affairs of India
Sri Arun Jaitley - Minister of Finance and
Corporate Affairs of the Government of India
Sri Dinesh Koda - BJP’s SC/ST cell president of
Munger
Dr Kodela Sivaprasada Rao - Former Andhra
Pradesh Assembly speaker and senior Telugu
Desam Party leader
Sri Ram Jethmalani - Indian lawyer and
politician, MP and Minister of law and Justice .
Sri Vishnu Hari Dalmia - Former President, Vishwa
Hindu Parishad
Sri Hari Shankar Agarwal - Donor of Dispensary
Building in Vivekanandapuram
Sri P.G. Patel - Ahmedabad Nagar Sanchalak
Sri Babulal Gaur - 16th Chief Minister of Madhya
Pradesh
Dr Pradeep Sharma – Former Director of
Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture,
Guwahati
Dr. Vivek Ponkshe – A great scholar, eminent
educationists, a real teacher who always loved NE,
worked in VKV Jairampur and was former Principal
in Jnana Prabodhini Prashala, Pune.
Sri C. Thangam – A member of staff and Sarang of
VRMVK boat.
Sri Kamal Sharma - Ex Full timer of ABVP, BJP
Pradhan of Punjab
Sri Suresh Prabhavalkar - Vanaprasthi Karyakarta
in VK Hindi Prakashan Vibhag, Indore
Sri Vilas Kulkarni - Kendra Karyakarta
Prof. A.C. Bhagwati - Research Council Member of
VKIC, Vice Chancellor of Arunachal University
Sri A.K. Singh - AURO University
Sri Kailash Joshi - Former Chief Minister of
Madhya Pradesh
Swami Vimalananda Saraswati - Swami Sivananda
Ashram, Hrishikesh
41
Vivekananda Kendra HQ, Vivekanandapuram,
Kanyakumari

Visitors
Wondering Monk - 19,761
Arise! Awake - 29,043
Gangotri - 3,049
Gramodaya Park - 1,112
Ramanayn Darshanam - 1,42,821
Vivek Dispensary - 7,561

Yoga, Spiritual Retreats, Visitors to Vivekananda Accommodation

Karyakarta, Acharyas Rock Memorial - Availed - 1,35,259
Camps - 850 18,83,161
42
 VIP Visitors to Vivekananda Rock Memorial
Shri Ramnath Kovind, President of India 25th December 2019
Shri Nitin Gadkari, Central Minister for Road transport and Highway 8th June 2019
Dr. Nanda Kumar, Chairman SC/ST Commission 10th January 2020
Smt. Baby Rani Maurya, Governer, Uttarkhand 28th December 2019
Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Former Chief Minister of Madhya 10 October 2019
Pradesh"
Shri Tarun Vijay Ex. M.P., Rajya Sabha 25th October 2019
Shri Umesh Lahoti, Judge, Supreme Court of India 16th May 2019
Shri Vijaya Kumar, Spiritual Advisor, President of India, R.P. Bhavan, 20th May 2019
New Delhi
Shri Mansukh L. Mandaviya, Central Minister of Shipping Chemical 22nd October 2019
and Fertilizers
A.S. Bedi, LT General, Indian Armed Force, New Delhi 14th December 2019
Hon. G. Baskaran, Minister for School Education Youth Welfare and 6th September 2019
Sports Development, Tamil Nadu

43
From The General Secretary –
Dear Readers Be a Patron
http://patron.vkendra.org
Namaskar from the feet of Devi Kanyakumari!

You all are aware that Vivekananda Kendra is an all India Organization and engaged in different types of Service activities all over Sevavrati Yojana
the country. The detail of such activities is in this Vivekananda Kendra Samachar for year 2019-20. http://sevavrati.vkendra.org

These service activities are supported by all of you contributing tan – man – dhan (तन – मन – धन). During pandemic situation
right from cleaning, sweeping to food preparation and serving to prayers were all done at various places. That has definitely given
Attend Camp
http://camps.vkendra.org
us lot of energy to take up more and more works. During normal period also we should continue it remembering the thoughts
expressed in the editorial – Sarve Santu Niramayaa (सर्वे सन्तु ननरामया):. All these are to make us and the society around free from
all worries, problems. Join as a Teacher
https://www.vrmvk.org/join-as-a-
Kendra work is growing and it needs more human power. We appeal all of you to inspire the people in your contact to join the teacher
Kendra and give their valuable time for the Swamiji’s work. Swamiji had said: “Then only will India awake, when hundreds of
large-hearted men and women, giving up all desires of enjoying the luxuries of life, will long and exert themselves to their utmost,
for the well-being of the millions of their countrymen who are gradually sinking lower and lower in the vortex of destitution and
Publications
https://prakashan.vrmvk.org
ignorance.”

In this 50th year of Vivekananda Rock Memorial let us take its saga to all to inspire and prepare them to dedicate themselves for Accommodation
the good of India. https://yatra.vrmvk.org/
We appeal all the Readers to join with your all might in this holy task to make our Bharatmata the JAGAT GURU and realize the
vision of Swami Vivekananda. Donate Now
We look forward for your kind assistance and support to this noble cause. http://donate.vkendra.org/

With prayers, Branch Centers

http://centers.vkendra.org
Yours Sincerely
(Bhanudas Dhakras) Main Website
General Secretary www.vrmvk.org

44

https://www.vrmvk.org/vks202
 Vivekananda Kendra on Social
Dear Patrons, Donors, Subscribers,
Media
Well wishers-
Kindly update your communications Main Channel Activity Channel
https://youtube.com/vrmvk https://youtube.com/vkactivity
details (Email/Mobile/Whatsapp/etc) so that we Padawali SahityaSeva
can serve you better by sending digital magazine, https://youtube.com/padawali https://youtube.com/vkprakashan
useful information regarding yoga and children Facebook Page
camps and similar activities useful to you and your https://fb.com/VivekanandaKendraKanyakumari
family. In these times and also in future, online Twitter:
communication is taking the front seat and will be https://twitter.com/vkendra
the most potent medium. So, kindly let us be
Flickr
connected digitally too in our Yajna of connecting the https://flickr.com/vivekanandakendra
world together.
Instagram
Kindly update from here : https://instagram.com/vrmvk
Swami Vivekananda Daily Quotation (Hindi & Eng)
Telegram Channel : https://t.me/dailyvivek
VK Update Telegram Channel
: https://t.me/vkendra
Blog : https://blog.vrmvk.org

45

http://update.vkendra.org
Your Contribution Matters
Vivekananda Kendra provides opportunities to all to join hands in carrying
out its socially relevant service activities -
Patron Child Education General
Be a Patron and have satisfaction Help in educating the next For conducting regular activities like
that you are also supporting the generation - The needy children of projects, relief work,
Dedicated workers for their North-East and elsewhere need your awareness programs, health
Yogakshema. support. You can make their future. programs, etc.
Construction Own A Room Scheme
Vivekananda Kendra Training Vivekananda Kendra has a scheme
Institute for Excellence at Solapur, A through which one can own a room
conference/meeting hall to hold a in their name in the
large gathering at Kanyakumari – Vivekanandapuram campus.
several such construction activities Similarly can donate and have your
can benefit by your support. name on Vivekananda Rock
Memorial.

You can donate from here-

http://donate.vkendra.org/

46
47