Mysore/Mysuru: “Swami Vivekananda led an inspiring life and his life was devoted to public services, serving humanity and upliftment of society. We should try to inculcate his teachings in our lives and try to be better human beings and citizens,” said University of Mysore (UoM) Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar.

He was speaking after inaugurating Viveka Utsava, organised on the occasion of 159th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda by Youth for Seva, Ramakrishna Mission and GSS Yogic Research Foundation (GSS Yoga), in association with Ramakrishna Institute of Moral and Spiritual Education (RIMSE) at RIMSE in Ramakrishna Vidyashala premises on KRS Road in city this morning.

Pointing out that Swami Vivekananda had written Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Raja Yoga and Bhakti Yoga, considered as outstanding treatises describing Hindu philosophy, the VC said that no speech on Swami Vivekananda is complete without mentioning his immense contribution towards Indian society.

“I was thinking of organising motivational programmes for our students through Ramakrishna Ashram, but due to the pandemic it was not materialised. Soon a MoU between Mysore University and Ramakrishna Ashram will be signed for the conduct of motivational programmes,” the VC said.

Pointing out that there are about 3,000 students in Manasagangothri campus, he said that there is a need to streamline the youth power, besides stating that out of 133 crore population in the country, 40 percent of the population were youths. As the whole world is now looking at India, we have to utilise the youths in a proper way by guiding them in a correct way, he added.

President of Mysuru Ramakrishna Ashram Swami Mukthidanandaji, who spoke on “Swami Vivekananda’s Concept of Spirituality” said that there is a need to enhance the power of youths. “We are all leading a life of underperformance. Because of our inability to analyse the potential, we are like a 10 Watts bulb. We should unfurl the wings of our human personality through education,” he added.

GSS Yogic Research Foundation Founder Srihari spoke on ‘Youth and Swami Vivekananda’ while RIMSE Mysuru Correspondent Swami Shivakanthanandaji spoke on ‘Swami Vivekanda and Service,’

A video show on Swami Vivekananda and a talk on ‘Leadership and Swami Vivekanada’ by Col. Ravi and ‘The thoughts of Swami Vivekananda on Education’ by Swami Yukteshanandaji were held in the afternoon session which was followed by the valedictory ceremony.

As part of Viveka Utsava, ‘The Youth Week’ will be held from today (Jan. 4) till Jan. 11, during which various events will be held at different venues in city.

Government Ayurveda Research Centre (GARC) Assistant Director Dr. Lakshminarayan Shenoy and over 100 students were present.