On 12th January 2025, Ramakrishna Mission, Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair), observed National Youth Day in collaboration with the Sports and Education Department of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration in a befitting manner, divided into two main parts.
Inaugural Procession
At 7:00 AM, the celebration began with a grand and colorful procession, jointly inaugurated by Shri Vikram Singh, Director of Education, Sports, and Higher Education, A&N Administration, and Swami Omkaratmananda, Secretary of Port Blair Ashrama, in front of Netaji Stadium, Port Blair. More than 1,100 enthusiastic youth participants, including professors, teachers, students, faculty members from local schools and colleges, students and teachers of the Ramakrishna Mission Vocational Training Centre, Sri Vijaya Puram, as well as many devotees, joyfully took part, making the procession a successful and memorable event.
The main attractions of the procession were centered around Swamiji’s statue and large-sized pictures, beautifully decorated with flowers and placed on open-top vans. Youth participants energetically chanted powerful slogans featuring Swamiji’s messages, sang patriotic and devotional songs, and displayed various placards with Swamiji’s inspiring words.
The procession concluded with a series of captivating cultural performances in front of Swami Vivekananda’s old statue at Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya, Port Blair, where a meeting on National Youth Day was organized by the local administration. Swami Omkaratmananda, along with other dignitaries, offered Pushpargha and performed Arati before the revered Swamiji statue. This was followed by an eloquent speech by Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar, the Chief Secretary of the Andaman & Nicobar Administration and the Chief Guest of the meeting. His address highlighted the inspiring life of Swami Vivekananda and encouraged students and youth to dedicate themselves to the service of mankind.
National Youth Day Cultural Fest
On 18th and 19th January 2025, the National Youth Day Celebrations culminated in a vibrant and enriching National Youth Day Inter-Schools & Colleges Cultural Fest, 2025, successfully organized by Ramakrishna Mission, Port Blair, at its Mission Campus. The event aimed to inspire and instill Swami Vivekananda’s “man-making” and “character-building” ideals in young minds by engaging them in a diverse range of competitions, including Yoga, Geeta Chanting, Drawing, Speech, Elocution, Singing, and Recitation. This grand initiative received an overwhelming response, with participation from 17 schools and 5 colleges, leading to a total registration of 240 students, of whom 120 actively competed in the events.
Over the two days, the competitions showcased the brilliant talents, creativity, and exceptional spiritual awareness of today’s youth. Participants competed with great enthusiasm and dedication, making the event a resounding success.
Prize Distribution Ceremony
On the auspicious Tithi Puja Day of Swamiji on 21st January 2025, at 6:30 PM, Ramakrishna Mission, Port Blair, organized a Prize Distribution Ceremony. The Chief Guest, Shri Vikram Singh, Director of Education, along with Mrs. Sudha Tripathi, a retired faculty member of Loretto School, Calcutta, and Swami Omkaratmananda, Secretary of Ramakrishna Mission, Sri Vijaya Puram, presented awards to the successful participants of the Youth Competitions. Their presence and words of encouragement deeply inspired the young participants to continue striving for excellence.
This successful celebration at Ramakrishna Mission was a testament to the power of youth in shaping a brighter future. It provided a meaningful opportunity for students to connect with their cultural and spiritual heritage, leaving a lasting impact on all those who participated.
