Centenary Celebrations of the “Palace for the Poor” front building of the Students Home and Residential High School
26 June 2022, Sunday
The Centenary Celebrations of the prestigious ‘Palace for the Poor‘, the main building of the Students Home, and the Residential High School were held at the Home premises on Sunday, June 26, 2022.
Started in 1905 with the blessings of Swami Ramakrishnanandaji Maharaj who is a direct disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the Students Home serves the orphan and poor students with free education, food and accommodation.
One of the oldest educational institutions in Tamil Nadu, Ramakrishna Mission Students Home is celebrating the centenary of its Residential High School. Students Home is one of the pioneer institutions of the world famous Ramakrishna Mission. Students Home has a Polytechnic College, and Primary School also.
Vocational Training Centre in the Home, and many tuition centres with nutritious snacks for the poor village students in Madayambakam and Perumbakkam villages in Chengalpattu district, Thathaimanji and Poovalambedu in Thiruvallur District and Kathivakkam in Ennore are conducted by the Students Home.
Thousands of students from various parts of Tamil Nadu have studied in the Students Home and now in better positions in the Society. Students who cannot study because of poverty were given a chance in the Students Home and their families have come up very well in the Society. The Students Home and the School are run solely on the donations received from the generous public and institutions.
Celebrations:
A Stupa constructed near the ‘Palace for the Poor’, in memory of Most Revered Swami Brahmanandaji Maharaj fondly called as “Raja Maharaj” who is also a disciple of Bhagawan Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa who laid the foundation and also inaugurated the ‘Palace for the Poor’, was inaugurated by Most Revered Swami Gautamanandaji Maharaj, Adhyaksha, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai.
Centenary Celebrations were celebrated on Sunday, June 26 2022. During the Centenary celebrations, Thiru. R. N. Ravi, Hon’ble Governor of Tamil Nadu, inaugurated the celebrations and released the special Postal cover on the occasion. He also distributed the benefits to 100 Drama artists, 100 widows, and 100 conservancy workers during the function.
Srimat Swami Gautamananda ji Maharaj, Vice President, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission and Adhyaksha, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, presided over the function and gave his benedictory address.
Sri. S. Gurumurthy, Editor, Thuglak Magazine, Sri. B. Selvakumar, Chief Post Master General, Tamilnadu Circle, Dr. Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti, Padma Shri awardee, Philanthropist & Vice President, Ramakrishna Mission Students Home, graced the occasion as Guests of Honour. Sri S Varadarajan, former Chairman and Managing Director, BPCL, gave vote of thanks.
In the Session two at noon, Swami Padmasthananda, Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, T. Nagar, Chennai, presided over while Prof. Dr. E. Balagurusamy, Educationist and Former Vice-Chancellor, Anna University, Chennai, and our old student, Sri R Rajagopal, Vice President of Titan and Co., were the Guests of Honour.
In the Session 3, Swami Shukadevananda, Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyapith & Vivekananda College, Chennai, presided over and Dr. Sudha Seshayyan M.S., Vice-Chancellor, The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, and Sri. T. T. Srinivasaraghavan, Director, Sundaram Finance Ltd, Chennai were the Guests of Honour.
In the Session 4, Swami Muktidananda, Trustee & Governing Body Member of Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission and Adhyaksha, Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, Mysuru, presided over while Chief Guest was Prof V. Kamakoti, Director, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Guests of Honour were our old students , Sri. P. Raju Iyer, President, The Institute of Cost & Management Accountants of India and Dr. R. Seetharaman, Former Group CEO, Doha Bank, Qatar.
Release of Centenary souvenir, Science and Home history exhibitions, Sports and games and literary competitions were conducted during the celebrations. Under the leadership of Swami Satyajnanananda ji, Secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission Students Home, preparations for the celebrations were carried out.