Rajkot centre conducted the following free medical camps this month:

On 30 July, Swami Prabhanandaji, General Secretary, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, officiated at the Bhoomi Puja ceremony (land purification ceremony) for the proposed multipurpose building at Sydney (Australia) centre.

Swami Prabhanandaji, General Secretary, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, consecrated the foundation stone for the proposed Universal Meditation Centre at Swami Vivekananda College premises in Malolo, Nadi, Fiji, on 21 July.

Japan centre celebrated the 149th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda with a programme comprising peace-prayer, guided mediation and a public meeting at the Indian Embassy auditorium, Tokyo, on 22 May.  A CD on Sri Ramakrishna’s Arati and a special issue of Universal Gospel magazine brought out by the centre were released on this occasion.  

We are sorry to announce the passing away of three of our brother-monks.

Swami Shaktidharanandaji (Jivan Maharaj) expired at Varanasi Home of Service hospital on 6 July at 11.30 am.  He was 71 and had been suffering from renal failure for the last three months.  Initiated by Swami Vishuddhanandaji, he joined the Order in 1963 at Shillong centre and had Sannyasa from Swami Vireshwaranandaji in 1973.  Besides his joining centre, he served at Aalo, Malda, Almora, Tamluk, Chandipur and Varanasi (Home of Service) centres.  He also participated in Saurashtra cyclone and flood relief work in 1983.  The Swami was simple, austere and hardworking by nature.

Swami Shakranandaji (Sukumar Maharaj) breathed his last on 29 July at 2.39 pm at our Trivandrum hospital.  He was 88 and had been suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis, ischemic heart disease and renal failure for some years.  Initiated by Swami Virajanandaji, he was an honorary teacher at our Kalady school for a year before formally joining the Order in 1943 at Chennai Math.  He had Sannyasa from Swami Shankaranandaji in 1952.  Besides his joining centre, he served at Mangalore, Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram centres.  He was the head of Thrissur centre for 24 years and of Thiruvananthapuram centre for 10 years.  The Swami had been living a retired life at Nettayam sub‑centre for the last six years.  Austere, hardworking and gentle by nature, he was respected by all who came in contact with him.  The Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation visited the hospital to pay his last respects to the Swami immediately after the death was announced.

Swami Amritatwanandaji (Anadi Maharaj), head of Dinajpur centre, passed away at the Ashrama on 30 July at 10.22 pm.  He was 78 and had been suffering from cancer of the liver for about a year.  Initiated by Swami Shankaranandaji, he joined the Order in 1952 at Deoghar Vidyapith and had Sannyasa from Swami Vishuddhanandaji in 1962.  Besides his joining centre, he served at Belur Math, Purulia, Advaita Ashrama (Kolkata), Saradapitha, Katihar and Baghbazar centres as an assistant, and Dinajpur centre as head for 35 years.  He did much work for the backward people of several areas in north Bangladesh.  Known for his knowledge and love of scriptures, the Swami has authored some Bengali books on Ramakrishna-Vivekananda literature and scriptures.  He was respected for his austere sadhu life and loving heart.  Many youths got inspiration from him to join our Order.

Vivekananda University held its sixth foundation anniversary celebration and the annual convocation at its Belur campus on 4 July.  Professor Ved Prakash, acting Chairman, University Grants Commission, delivered the convocation address.  Sri Sunil Kumar, Additional Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development, gave the foundation day oration.  Sri Bratya Basu, Higher Education Minister, Government of West Bengal, was the Special Guest of Honour.  Swami Prabhanandaji, General Secretary, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, who is also the Chancellor of the University, presided over the meeting and gave away the certificates, degrees and diplomas to the students who have successfully graduated from the Belur and Narendrapur faculties of the University.

Swami Atmasthanandaji, President, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, inaugurated a special exhibition on Sri Ramakrishna at Ramakrishna Museum, Belur Math on 11 July.  

At the request of Port Blair centre, the Andaman & Nicobar Government has issued an order instructing all educational institutions in the Union Territory to help the centre in conducting Vivekananda Value Inculcation Programme to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swamiji from 2011 to 2014. 

The following centres celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.  (Main programmes are given in parentheses.)

Photos of Agartala

Agartala (A seminar each at Kamalpur and Dharmanagar in Tripura on 4 and 11 July in which about 300 and 500 persons respectively took part), Chengalpattu (Procession, devotional songs, talks and cultural programme at Salayur village on 26 June, in which about 450 persons participated), Contai (installation of a statue of Vivekananda at a local school, cultural competitions and distribution of books on Swamiji to students on 1 May), Limbdi (talks on the Message of Swamiji at five schools in Kutch district this month), Port Blair (Vivekananda Value Inculcation Programme in which about 15,000 students from 25 educational institutions participated till July 2011), Puri Mission Ashrama (devotees’ convention on 4 July, in which 270 devotees took part), Tamluk (interschool cultural competitions on Swamiji’s life and teachings and distribution of books on Swamiji on 18 May), Thiruvananthapuram (youth camp at Nettayam on 7 and 8 May).

Swami Atmasthanandaji, President, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, is keeping well at Belur Math.

Swami Gitanandaji, Vice-President, continues to be under medical care at Kankurgachhi.

Swami Smarananandaji, Vice-President, is scheduled to visit Dimapur (Nagaland) from 2 to 12 August, Antpur on 17 August, and Hyderabad from 23 August to 2 September.  He is in good health.

Swami Prameyanandaji, Vice-President, returned to Belur Math from Seva Pratishthan on 19 July.  He is keeping well.