‘Children must be taught service alongside education’

Sri Ramakrishna Ashram President Swami Muktidanandaji at SVYM event
Caption: Swami Muktidanandaji, who addresssed an event at Viveka Smaraka in city on May 30, seen with Dr. R. Balasubramaniam, Industrialist R. Guru, tribal leader Mudali Madaiah and others.

Mysuru, June 3 (PM&BCT)- “Children must be nurtured with noble values through education. Alongside academics, they should also be taught the importance of sacrifice and service to society,” said Swami Muktidanandaji, President of Sri Ramakrishna Ashram, Mysuru.
He was speaking at ‘Celebrating grassroots leadership in nation building’ and the panel discussion on ‘Mysuru-2020: Cultural and Sustainable Development’, jointly organised by Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) and Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM) at Swami Vivekananda Cultural Youth Centre – Viveka Smaraka auditorium on Narayana Shastry Road on May 30.
The programme also featured a reflective address titled ‘From Grassroots Action to National Possibilities’ by Dr. R. Balasubramaniam, recently appointed as a full-time member of NITI Aayog, followed by an interactive session.
Responding to a question on the model of higher education Mysuru should adopt, Swami Muktidanandaji said education forms the foundation of society and must inspire young people to engage in social service, a principle strongly advocated by Swami Vivekananda.
“Personality development is incomplete without character and virtue. Educational institutions must go beyond academics and inculcate the values of sacrifice and service,” he noted.
“Children should be encouraged to voluntarily dedicate at least an hour of their time to the betterment of society. Swami Vivekananda taught that life, even while fulfilling family responsibilities, should be devoted to serving society,” he said, adding that Dr. Balasubramaniam’s work embodied these ideals.
The Swamiji also announced that Viveka Smaraka would soon introduce courses on the themes of ‘Excellence in Conduct’ and ‘Capacity Building’. The courses will focus on character development and Indian knowledge systems rather than conventional academic subjects.

“Village life, spirituality and service to society are the core ideals of Swami Vivekananda’s Rishi tradition,” he said.
City’s changing face
Former Bengaluru North University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Niranjan Vanalli said Mysuru had undergone significant changes over the past five years.
“Traffic congestion has increased to such an extent that even crossing roads in the city’s outskirts can take several minutes. Once known for its cleanliness, Mysuru is now grappling with mounting waste,” he said.
“Reviving the city’s character cannot be the government’s responsibility alone; citizens too must play an active role in preserving Mysuru’s cultural identity and civic standards,” he opined.
On the occasion Dr. R. Balasubramaniam and his wife Dr. Bindu were felicitated. Industrialist R. Guru, tribal leader Mudali Madaiah of H.D. Kote, President of SVYM Bengaluru Dr. B. Sudheer, GRAAM Trustee J. Purushottam, Mysore Grahakara Parishat Founder Bhamy V. Shenoy and several dignitaries from various fields were present.