The Working Women’s Hostel at Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Vidyalaya was inaugurated by Srimat Swami Gautamanandaji Maharaj, Vice President, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, on 27 August 2023.
The Working Women’s Hostel, which had been in existence from 1955, is an iconic landmark in T.Nagar, provides a safe and homelike atmosphere for young women who had left home and come to Chennai to work and become independent, support their families, continue their higher education, in short, pursue their goals and ambitions as the Holy Mother wanted all women to do and become empowered, productive members of society. Excellent boarding facilities were made available in an atmosphere of holiness.
However, by 2010, the building had started getting structurally weak and expert engineers had advised us to shut it down as it was rapidly becoming risky for the residents and could no longer be occupied. It was with a heavy heart that we had to give notice to the residents and close down the hostel in 2016. Much thought went into what we could do with this very valuable property situated as it was in the heart of Chennai city. Many possibilities were explored, but none of them seemed viable or practical.
Later, with consultation and help of Sri Sreenath, a structural engineer with great experience in restoring heritage buildings, the renovation of the hostel was possible.
On this occasion, Ganapathi Homam was performed on August 23, followed by Sri Ramakrishna Homam by Her Holiness Pravarajika Yatindraprana on August 25. All the teachers of the five Sarada Vidyalayas, the girls from the School Hostel and devotees attended.
