Mysuru: Blood donation camps, seminars, special lectures, contests and felicitations marked the 155th birth anniversary celebration of Swami Vivekananda in city this morning.

The Vishwa Hindu Dharma Samrakshana Vedike celebrated the jayanti by garlanding Swami Vivekananda Statue at Cheluvamba Park on KRS Road.

Also, Rashtra Jagruti, a book containing messages of Swami Vivekananda was distributed to over 500 youths on the occasion.

The event also marked fancy dress contest for children and felicitation to Dr. Krishnegowda of Kidney Stone Foundation.

Mysuru Ramakrishna Ashrama’s Abhinava Atmananda Swamiji, social worker K. Raghuram, Vedike District President B.N. Swamigowda and others were present.

Special lectures marked Vivekananda Jayanti celebration organised at Maharanis Arts College.

Dr. Sarvamangala, Sociology faculty delivered a lecture on ‘Swami Vivekananda and Women’, while Geography faculty Dr. S. Srikanta Prasad on ‘Vivekananda and Education’ and Philosophy faculty Dr. M. Vijayamma on ‘Swami Vivekananda’s Philosophical Thoughts.”

The College Principal Dr. M. Channabasavegowda, Samskrutika Vedike’s Prof. B.S. Shailaja and others were present.

A special lecture by Dr. H.L. Chandrashekar, former Philosophy Department faculty, University of Mysore, marked the jayanti celebration organised by Maharaja College at the college’s Junior B.A. Hall this morning.

The College Principal Dr. B. Nagarajmurthy presided. Maharaja’s College Administrative Officer Dr. C. Ramaswamy, faculty Dr. Shahseena Begum and others were present.

Mysuru Ramakrishna Ashrama’s Jnanayogananda Swamiji inaugurated the jayanti celebrations at a programme jointly organised by Swami Vivekananda Chair, Department of Studies in Philosophy, University of Mysore (UoM) and Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Philosophical and Indian Culture Centre, at Vijnana Bhavan, Manasagangotri this morning.

Prof. G.S. Jayadev, founder of Deenabandhu Samsthe in Chamarajanagar and former Visiting Faculty of Swami Vivekananda Chair, delivered a special lecture on ‘Education and Indian Culture from Swami Vivekananda’s Point of View’ on the occasion.

UOM Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. C. Basavaraju presided. Swami Vivekananda’s portrait was garlanded on the occasion.

A blood donation camp organised in association with Indian Red Cross Society, marked Swami Vivekananda jayanti celebration at Vidyavardhaka First Grade College on Seshadri Iyer Road.

Vidyavardhaka Sangha Hon. President Gundappa Gowda, Hon. Secretary P. Vishwanath, Jeevadhara Raktha Nidhi Kendra’s Dr. B.H. Manjunath, the college Principal Dr. S. Marigowda, Indian Red Cross Society Mysuru Branch President Dr. K.B. Gurumurthy and others were present.

Garlanding of Swami Vivekananda statue at Vivekanandanagar Circle marked the jayanti celebrations by Vivekanandanagar Residents Association.

The circle was specially decorated. Long time residents of Vivekanandanagar-Ravindra Joshi and Dinesh were felicitated on the occasion.

Former Minister S.A. Ramdas, Corporators Seema Prasad, B.V. Manjunath, Jagadish and M.K. Shankar, leader B.M. Raghu and others were present.