Personalia
Srimat Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj, President, Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, continues to be at Seva Pratishthan. There is no significant change in his health condition.
Srimat Swami Smarananandaji, Vice President, will be visiting Gol Park centre from 6 to 17 June. He is in good health.
Srimat Swami Vagishanandaji, Vice President, is keeping well at Cossipore Math.
Srimat Swami Gautamanandaji, Vice President, is scheduled to visit Mysuru, Ponnampet, Mangaluru, Bengaluru and Belgaum from 5 to 25 June and Karlapalem in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, on 28 and 29 June. He is keeping good health at Chennai Math.
Srimat Swami Prabhanandaji, Vice President, will be visiting Baghbazar centre from 11 to 18 June. He is keeping well.
Srimat Swami Suhitanandaji, Vice President, is scheduled to return to Belur Math on 3 June after his visit to Sikra-Kulingram, Barasat and Bamunmura centres. He will be visiting Asansol, Burdwan and Gurap from 9 to 17 June and Dubai, England and Ireland from 26 June to 8 July. He is keeping well.
New Office-Bearers
Swami Gautamanandaji and Swami Suhitanandaji have been elected Vice-Presidents and Swami Suvirananda the General Secretary of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. They assumed their respective offices on 10 May, the sacred Buddha Purnima day. Swami Abhiramananda and Swami Tattwavidananda, who had been elected Assistant General Secretaries of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, joined the Headquarters on 10 May.
Headquarters
The 121st Foundation Day of the Ramakrishna Mission was celebrated at Belur Math on 1 May by holding a public meeting. Swami Smarananandaji chaired the meeting and Swami Suhitanandaji delivered the welcome address. Swami Suvirananda and a few others addressed the gathering. Click here for photos.
Sri Sri Buddha Jayanti was celebrated at Belur Math on 10 May 2017. Click here for photos.
Sri Sri Shodashi puja was performed at Belur Math, on the night of Phalaharini Kali Puja tithi, 25 May 2017. Click here for photos.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Science and Technology, visited Belur Math on 15 May.
Sushri Uma Bharti, Union Minister for Water Resources and River Development, visited Belur Math on 26 May.
New Mission Centre
A new branch centre of the Ramakrishna Mission has been started in the state of Goa.
The centre was formally inaugurated on 28 May in a programme which was attended by Swami Gautamanandaji; the General Secretary; Sri Shripad Yesso Naik, Union Minister of State, Ministry of AYUSH; other dignitaries, about 25 monks and 200 devotees.
The address of the centre is :
Ramakrishna Mission
PO. Khandepar, Parsol (Usgao),
Inside from Khursakade Bus Stop,
After Choughule Maruti Service Center,
Ponda, Goa 403406
Phone no. 94140 42638
Email id <goa@rkmm.org>
Website <www.rkmgoa.org>
Celebration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Sister Nivedita
Centres in India:
Koyilandy Math conducted a programme comprising speeches and a cultural programme on 28 May which was attended by about 200 people. Brief report and photos.
Antpur centre conducted a devotees’ convention on 5 May in which about 250 devotees took part.
Chennai Math in association with another organization held a day-long programme comprising lectures on 1 May in which about 300 women from different service organizations in Tamil Nadu took part.
Delhi centre conducted an online competition in which 250 college students took part. The winners were given away prizes on 23 April.
On the initiative of Kankurgachhi Math, a procession and a youths’ convention were held at Patharpratima in South 24 Parganas district on 5 and 6 May. About 400 students from 10 schools participated in the convention.
Kanpur centre conducted cultural competitions and a lecture at a women’s college in Jajmau, Kanpur, on 29 April.
Naora centre held a programme on women empowerment on 28 April in which about 700 people participated. Brief report and photos.
Ponnampet Ashrama held a public meeting on 20 May which was attended by about 200 people.
Sarisha centre held special lectures on 6 and 9 April. In all, about 2700 people, comprising mainly students, attended the lectures.
Silchar centre conducted a students’ and teachers’ convention on 24 and 25 May in which 210 students and 58 teachers from 36 schools took part.
Swamiji’s Ancestral House held four lectures and a drama between 24 April and 20 May at the centre which were attended altogether by 2065 people. During the same period five discourses were held, on the centre’s initiative, in and around Kolkata which were attended by 1500 people in all.
Centres outside India:
Chicago and St. Louis centres (USA) jointly held a seminar on Sister Nivedita at Washington University, St. Louis, on 29 April which was attended by 75 people.
Communication Addresses
Telephone: Burdwan centre has got a land-line telephone connection with number (0342) 2622929.
Website: Madurai Math has discontinued its website with address <www.rkmath.net>.
News of Branch Centres (in India)
The year-long centenary celebration of Karimganj centre was inaugurated on 10 May, the sacred Buddha Purnima day, by Swami Gautamanandaji. A number of monks and about 500 devotees attended the programme. Report and Photos.
Sri Sarbananda Sonowal, Chief Minister of Assam, visited Karimganj centre on 3 May.
Swami Smarananandaji inaugurated the renovated monks’ quarters, now renamed Brahmananda Bhavan, at Sarisha centre on 17 April.
Narainpur centre held a five-day sports meet from 5 to 9 April in which 1500 students from 30 schools of 3 districts in Chhattisgarh participated.
Madurai Math distributed buttermilk to about 2000 people from 9 to 13 May on the occasion of Chaitra Purnima festival.
Pune Math inaugurated “Vivekananda Punyanagari Seva Prakalp” for the upliftment of the slum dwelling people. Reports and Photos.
Koyilandy Math conducted spiritual retreat on 21 May. Report and Photos.
The results obtained by the students of our schools and hostels at the Secondary (Class 10) and Higher Secondary (Class 12) Examinations, 2017, conducted by different education boards are given below. (In all these figures, Star Marks means 75% or more marks, 1st Div. 60% or more marks, 2nd Div. 45% to less than 60% marks, and 3rd Div. less than 45% marks.)
| Tamil Nadu Boards of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education | ||||||
| Examination | Students appeared | 1st Div | 2nd Div | 3rd Div | Failed | Star Marks |
| Chengalpattu Matriculation School | ||||||
| Class 10 | 85 | 70 | 12 | – | 3 | 57 |
| Class 12 | 100 | 71 | 26 | – | 3 | 31 |
| Chengalpattu Boys’ Higher Secondary School | ||||||
| Class 10 | 233 | 94 | 98 | 9 | 32 | 47 |
| Class 12 | 269 | 103 | 68 | 19 | 79 | 32 |
| Chengalpattu Girls’ Higher Secondary School | ||||||
| Class 10 | 170 | 138 | 27 | 1 | 4 | 105 |
| Class 12 | 323 | 201 | 91 | 7 | 24 | 84 |
| Chennai Math Girls’ School | ||||||
| Class 10 | 116 | 89 | 24 | 1 | 2 | 42 |
| Class 12 | 160 | 108 | 44 | 2 | 6 | 55 |
| Chennai Mission Ashrama Matriculation Higher Secondary School | ||||||
| Class 10 | 133 | 126 | 7 | – | – | 74 |
| Class 12 | 87 | 73 | 14 | – | – | 42 |
| Chennai Mission Ashrama Higher Secondary School (South) | ||||||
| Class 10 | 75 | 56 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 35 |
| Class 12 | 22 | 13 | 8 | – | 1 | 7 |
| Chennai Students’ Home Residential High School | ||||||
| Class 10 | 37 | 30 | 6 | 1 | – | 17 |
| Coimbatore Shivananda Higher Secondary School | ||||||
| Class 10 | 195 | 186 | 9 | – | – | 145 |
| Class 12 | 243 | 237 | 6 | – | – | 172 |
| Coimbatore Vidyalaya High School | ||||||
| Class 10 | 50 | 50 | – | – | – | 44 |
| Malliankaranai High School | ||||||
| Class 10 | 61 | 51 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 35 |
| Nattarampalli School | ||||||
| Class 10 | 29 | 29 | – | – | – | 20 |
| Nattarampalli Hostel | ||||||
| Class 10 | 10 | 8 | 2 | – | – | 4 |
| Class 12 | 6 | 3 | 2 | – | 1 | 1 |
| West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education: Class 12 | ||||||||
| Sl. No. | School | Students appeared | 1st Div | 2nd Div | Compartmental | Failed | Star Marks | Highest Marks# |
| 1 | Malda | 79 | 79 | – | – | – | 77 | 477 |
| 2 | Medinipur | 54 | 54 | – | – | – | 50 | 482 |
| 3 | Narendrapur: (a) Vidyalaya | 79 | 79 | – | – | – | 79 | 492 |
| (b) Blind Boys’ Academy | 10 | 10 | – | – | – | 10 | 454 | |
| 4 | Purulia | 63 | 63 | – | – | – | 61 | 479 |
| 5 | Rahara | 122 | 122 | – | – | – | 106 | 482 |
| 6 | Sargachhi | 60 | 56 | 3 | – | 1 | 30 | 471 |
| 7 | Sarisha | 105 | 103 | 1 | 1 | – | 70 | 466 |
# Marks out of 500
| West Bengal Board of Secondary Education: Class 10 | |||||||||
| School | Students appeared | 1st Div. | 2nd Div. | 3rd Div. | Star Marks | Highest Marks# | |||
| 1. Asansol | 90 | 90 | – | – | 90 | 679 | |||
| 2. Baranagar Mission | 175 | 175 | – | – | 159 | 681 | |||
| 3. Jayrambati | 150 | 123 | 27 | – | 77 | 682 | |||
| 4. Kamarpukur | 100 | 94 | 6 | – | 66 | 685 | |||
| 5. Malda | 122 | 122 | – | – | 114 | 687 | |||
| 6. Manasadwip | 109 | 96 | 13 | – | 48 | 670 | |||
| 7. Medinipur | 103 | 103 | – | – | 101 | 676 | |||
| 8. Narendrapur: (a) Vidyalaya | 130 | 130 | – | – | 129 | 682 | |||
| 8. (b) Blind Boys’ Academy | 17 | 17 | – | – | 17 | 618 | |||
| 9. Purulia | 89 | 89 | – | – | 89 | 680 | |||
| 10. Rahara | 217 | 216 | 1 | – | 186 | 675 | |||
| 11. Ramharipur | 101 | 87 | 14 | – | 43 | 676 | |||
| 12. Sargachhi | 111 | 101 | 10 | – | 64 | 672 | |||
| 13. Sarisha: (a) Boys' School | 106 | 101 | 4 | 1 | 68 | 654 | |||
| 13. (b) Girls' School | 126 | 117 | 7 | 2 | 88 | 665 | |||
| 14. Taki | 71 | 71 | – | – | 58 | 661 |
# Marks out of 700
| Other Board Examinations | |||||||
| Exam | Students appeared | 1st Div | 2nd Div | Compartmental | Failed | Star Marks | Highest Marks# |
| Bhopal School (Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education) | |||||||
| Class 10 | 89 | 54 | 11 | 1 | 23 | – | 23 |
| Class 12 | 86 | 66 | 15 | 2 | 3 | – | 29 |
| Cherrapunji School (Meghalaya Board of School Education) | |||||||
| Class 10 | 91 | 74 | 16 | 1 | – | – | 28 |
| Class 12 | 85 | 78 | 5 | 2 | – | – | 6 |
| Nine other schools (at Bholaganj, Laitdiengsai, Laitryngew, Mawmluh, Mylliem, Nartiang, Nongwar, Shella & Sohbar) under Cherrapunji centre (Meghalaya Board of School Education) | |||||||
| Class 10 | 178 | 41 | 81 | 36 | – | 20 | – |
| Indore School (Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education) | |||||||
| Class 10 | 105 | 77 | 23 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 35 |
| Class 12 | 111 | 87 | 16 | – | 6 | 2 | 35 |
| Jamshedpur Schools (ICSE Board, New Delhi) | |||||||
| Class 10 | 252 | 205 | 46 | 1 | – | – | 106 |
| Class 12 | 44 | 22 | 20 | 1 | – | 1 | 8 |
| Jamshedpur Schools (Jharkhand Academic Council) | |||||||
| Class 10 | 287 | 253 | 33 | – | 1 | – | 111 |
| Mangaluru Hostel (Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board) | |||||||
| Class 10 | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | – | – | 4 |
| Narainpur School (Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education) | |||||||
| Class 10 | 145 | 54 | 53 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 12 |
| Class 12 | 119 | 44 | 55 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 2 |
| Vijayawada School (Andhra Pradesh Board of Secondary Education) | |||||||
| Class 10 (English Medium) | 39 | 39 | – | – | – | – | 39 |
| Class 10 (Telugu Medium) | 48 | 42 | 1 | – | – | 5 | 20 |
The football team of Narainpur school won the football championship conducted by Central Reserve Police Force. Dr. Raman Singh, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, handed over a cup and a sum of 50,000 rupees to the team on 21 May.
The following centres conducted summer camps for students. The programme included chanting, bhajans, yogasanas, values education classes, etc.
| Summer Camps for Students | |||
| Sl. No. | Centre | Duration of the camp | Participants |
| 1 | Aurangabad | 1 to 10 May | 119 |
| 2 | Bengaluru | 16 to 30 April | 100 |
| 3 | Chennai Math | 2 to 31 May | 250 |
| 3 | Chennai Math | 15 to 23 May | 54 |
| 4 | Hyderabad | 10 to 22 April | 410 |
| 4 | Hyderabad | 24 April to 23 May | 1868 |
| 5 | Indore | 8 to 10 May | 40 |
| 6 | Madurai | 24 April to 12 May | 150 |
| 7 | Ponnampet | 23 to 30 April | 110 |
| 8 | Porbandar | 8 to 28 May | 85 |
| 9 | Pune | 23 to 28 May | 120 |
| 10 | Rajamahendravaram | 1 to 28 May | 287 |
| 11 | Rajkot | 1 to 28 May | 506 |
| 12 | Tirupati | 1 to 14 May | 61 |
| 13 | Vadodara | 30 April to 7 May | 122 |
Report and Photos of Summer Camps at Hyderabad | Rajahmundry | Ponnampet
Aalo centre conducted a medical camp at Kato Moku village of West Siang district on 24 May in which 53 patients were treated. Also, educative films were screened to create awareness about health and hygiene. Report and Photos.
Antpur centre held a mother-and-child care camp on 13 May in which 44 women and 120 children were treated by a team of eight doctors.
Katihar centre conducted a medical camp on 21 May in which 292 patients were treated.
Mysuru Ashrama conducted a medical camp at Tenkana Mole (Kuderu village) in Mysuru district on 28 May in which 350 patients from six villages were treated.
Vidyamandira (Arts & Science college under Saradapitha centre) has secured all-India 29th rank amongst the best Science Colleges and 35th rank amongst the best Arts Colleges as per the ranking list announced by India Today for the year 2017. Further, the college has been ranked first in the Kolkata-Howrah metropolitan area under both best Science and Arts colleges categories.
Values Education and Youth Programmes
Jalpaiguri centre held a values education workshop at Konpakri in Jalpaiguri district which was attended by 170 students. Report and Photos.
Delhi centre held 9 values education workshops from 1 to 18 May which were attended by 445 principals and teachers. The workshops were held in five states apart from Delhi.
Nagpur Math conducted cultural competitions based on the teachings of Swamiji in January and February in which about 15,000 students from nearly 100 schools took part.
Swachchha Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Campaign)
Mysuru Ashrama conducted five cleaning drives between 30 April and 28 May in which a number of volunteers cleaned five localities of the city. Report and Photos.
Delhi centre constructed 100 twin-pit-pour-flush toilets at Bhati Mines, Delhi. Sri Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State for Urban Development, Government of India, declared open the toilets on 1 March.
Kamarpukur centre carried out a cleanliness drive on 21 May.
Mangaluru centre conducted 42 cleaning drives in and around Mangaluru on four Sundays in the month of May in which a large number of volunteers took part. The centre also held a workshop on 28 May in which 225 Panchayat Development Officers and representatives of different Panchayats of Dakshina Kannada district participated.
News of Branch Centres (Outside India)
Our Dhaka centre observed the Foundation Day of Ramakrishna Mission on 1 May with a day long program. Report and Photos.
The students’ team of our Swami Vivekananda College in Fiji won the National Championship in the National Swimming Competitions 2017 held by Fiji National Swimming Association on 26 and 27 May. The students secured the following medals: Gold: 49, Silver: 26, Bronze: 19.
Obituary
We are sorry to announce the passing away of Swami Shiveshwaranandaji (Bidhu Maharaj) at Seva Pratishthan hospital, Kolkata, on 19 May at 9.30 am. He was 87 and had been suffering from old-age ailments for some years. Initiated by Swami Virajanandaji Maharaj, he joined the Order in 1953 at Asansol centre and had Sannyasa from Swami Madhavanandaji Maharaj in 1963. Besides his joining centre, he served at Saradapitha and Narendrapur centres as an assistant and Puri Mission, Singapore and Bhubaneswar centres as the head. After relinquishing headship of Bhubaneswar centre in December 2010, he continued to stay there as a retired monk. Amiable and affectionate by nature, he contributed to the Order in different capacities.