The 41st National Youth Day was observed with reverence at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Hatamuniguda, Odisha, on January 12, 2025. The day commenced at 9:30 AM with a solemn ceremony, beginning with the garlanding of Swami Vivekananda’s statue amidst the chanting of Vedic hymns. This was followed by the recitation of the Swadesh Mantra at the Garden near the statue.
In the lead-up to the main event, a series of competitions were organized from January 4th to 8th, 2025, engaging students from 4th to 8th grade from 10 different institutions. These competitions encompassed various disciplines, including Yogasana, Painting, Quiz, Elocution, and Essay Writing. A total of 373 enthusiastic students participated in these competitions.
The culmination of the celebrations took place at 10:00 AM in the Vivekananda Hall within the Ashram campus. After the ceremonial lamp lighting and the offering of flowers at Swami Vivekananda’s portrait, the program commenced with an inspiring opening song. Three talented young speakers captivated the audience with their insightful speeches on “Swami Vivekananda’s ideas of a Universal Religion,” “Swami Vivekananda on women empowerment,” and “Swami Vivekananda’s boyhood days.”
Shri Dushmanta Kumar Mohanty, a distinguished educationist from Odisha, graced the occasion as the chief guest. In his address, he eloquently expounded on Swami Vivekananda’s visionary ideas on nation-building. Following this, prizes, certificates, and specially designed laminated photographs of Swami Vivekananda with an inspiring message were awarded to the winners of the various competitions. The program also included the reading of selected passages from the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda and the soulful rendition of devotional songs dedicated to the revered Swami.
A captivating cultural program, featuring Yoga demonstrations and mesmerizing pyramid formations by the students, enthralled the audience.
Swami Gitatmananda, the Secretary, warmly welcomed the esteemed guests and introduced them to the audience. Swami Prabhuvarananda concluded the program with a heartfelt vote of thanks.
