Durga Puja (in image) was performed at Mauritius Ashrama and the following eleven centres in Bangladesh: Baliati, Barisal, Chittagong, Comilla, Dhaka, Dinajpur, Faridpur, Habiganj, Jessore, Narayanganj and Sylhet.

At Dhaka centre, Ms Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh; Dr Mahiuddin Khan Alamgir, Home Minister; Dr Kamal Hossain, former Foreign Minister; Sri Pankaj Sharan, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, and several other distinguished persons attended the Durga Puja celebration.

The Sunday Religious School of Colombo (Sri Lanka) centre celebrated its diamond jubilee on 23 September with various programmes.  About 1500 people attended the programmes.

Swami Medhasanandaji, Head of Japan centre, reached Delhi on 10 October on a four-week visit to India.

Swami Nirmalatmanandaji, Head of Sao Paulo (Brazil) centre, reached Kolkata on 30 October on a four-week visit to India.

The following centres organized various programmes to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.  (Main programmes conducted by them are mentioned against their names.)

India:  Bangalore: Vivekananda retreat for 200 children of an orphanage on 2 October.

Baranagar Mission: State-level cultural competitions from 25 to 28 October, in which 127 students from all the 19 districts of West Bengal participated.

Value education programmes in 4 schools and 1 college in the month of October; altogether 1077 students attended the programmes.

Bhubaneswar: Talks on Swami Vivekananda at the Ashrama on 29 & 30 September, which were attended by about 325 persons on each day.

Meetings, cultural competitions, processions and cultural programmes in 26 schools and 13 colleges in 8 districts of Odisha from 21 August to 18 October, which were attended by about 11,000 students in all.

A talk on Swami Vivekananda on 11 October, which was attended by 25 senior agriculture officers, professors and others.

Chandigarh: The centre conducted 12 programmes in different educational institutions in and around Chandigarh in which altogether 1435 students took part.  Discourses, exhibition, distribution of literature, etc formed part of the programmes.

Delhi: A Digital Learning Centre with interactive smart boards was inaugurated on 12 October.  The facility is being extended to the poor students of the coaching centre of the Ashrama.

The Ashrama held the first two rounds of its All India Online GenNext Leadership Contest for youths from 1 June to 31 August and 15 September to 15 October, in which nearly 27,000 students from about 4500 institutions spanning the entire country participated.

“Harmony through Music”, a programme of Sufi music by a renowned Sufi singer, was conducted on 28 October.

Institute of Culture, Kolkata: Elocution and essay competitions in Sanskrit on 5 September, in which respectively 22 and 25 candidates took part.

A national seminar on “Spirituality and Positive Psychology” on 29 and 30 September, in which 8 papers were presented in the Academic Sessions and 7 speeches were delivered in the Inaugural and Valedictory Sessions.

The Institute held a programme at Science City, Kolkata, on 10 October, in which Kumari Selja, Union Minister of Culture, inaugurated a laser documentary on Swami Vivekananda, made by Sri Manick Sorcar, a renowned laserist of USA.

Kanchipuram: Talks on Swami Vivekananda in 3 colleges in the month of October, which were attended altogether by nearly 1250 students and 50 teachers.

Kochi: Youth camps on 6 & 27 October, in which altogether about 200 youths took part.

Lucknow: An interfaith conference on 11 September, which was attended by about 400 people.

Ooty: The centre conducted the following programmes in collaboration with Coimbatore Mission Vidyalaya:

(a) Cultural competitions, and speeches at a school in Agalar, Dist. Nilgiris, on 12 October,

(b) Procession, public meeting and devotional music at Adigaratty village, Dist. Nilgiris, on 17 October,

(c) Cultural competitions, public meeting, film show and cultural programmes at Aravanakadu, Dist. Nilgiris, on 21 October.

Altogether about 3600 people, including 1000 students, participated in the programmes.

Palai:  Cultural competitions, in which 210 students from 8 schools and 3 colleges took part.

Ponnampet: In collaboration with Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy, Madikeri, the centre organized Kodava Music Festival on 5 and 6 October in which many artistes participated.  Music competitions were held in five categories for different age groups.  Altogether about 2800 people attended the programmes.

Pune: A residential camp for 50 rural youths on 6 & 7 October.

A workshop for 110 B.Ed. students on 13 October.

Japa Yajna on 14 October, in which 127 devotees participated.

Ranchi Sanatorium: A hockey tournament on 2 October in which 16 teams from 16 villages around Ranchi participated.

Salem: Value education programmes in two colleges from 3 to 6 October, in which altogether 400 students took part.

Talk on Swami Vivekananda at a school in Valayapatti (Namakkal district) on 5 October, which was attended by 1150 students and teachers.

Sargachhi: A cycle rally from Sargachhi Ashrama to Swamiji’s Ancestral House from 14 October morning to 15 October evening, in which 150 rural youths participated as cyclists; 11 motor cycles and 2 decorated vehicles accompanied the rally.

Sarisha: Cultural competitions in the month of September, in which 339 students of 38 schools took part.

Sikra-Kulingram: Spiritual retreat on 2 October, in which nearly 400 devotees took part.

Silchar: Youth conventions on 12 & 13 October, in which 635 students participated, and a spiritual retreat on 14 October, in which 580 devotees took part.

Swamiji’s Ancestral House, Kolkata: At the initiative of the centre, seven institutions in Kolkata organized talks on Swami Vivekananda in the month of October, which were attended by nearly 3200 people in all.

Thiruvananthapuram: Sri Hansraj Bhardwaj, Governor of Kerala, performed Bhoomi Puja for the proposed statue of Swami Vivekananda at Kowdiar Park, Thiruvananthapuram, to be installed by the Ashrama.

Vadodara: Talks on Swami Vivekananda at 11 educational institutions in various parts of Gujarat, which were attended by about 2900 students in all.

Three youth conventions, one each in three cities of Gujarat, in which altogether nearly 900 youths took part.

Outside India: Colombo (Sri Lanka): Lectures and a seminar in the month of September, which were attended by about 800 people in all.

New York Vedanta Society (USA): A music programme on the premises of the Society on 28 October.

Durga Puja was celebrated at Belur Math from 21 to 24 October with due solemnity and joy.  The weather was fine on all the four days, and about two lakh devotees attended the Puja to receive the blessings of the Divine Mother.  The Kumari Puja performed on 22 October drew huge crowds, and the Sandhi Puja on that evening was also attended by many devotees.  Sri M K Narayanan, Governor of West Bengal, attended the Kumari Puja on Ashtami Day.  Doordarshan Kolkata telecast live the Puja at different times on all the days, and the entire celebration was streamed live on Belur Math website.  Cooked Prasad was served to about 52,000 devotees on Ashtami day and to more than one lakh devotees during the four days.

Swami Atmasthanandaji, President, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, inaugurated the newly installed lift at the Headquarters Office on 7 October and laid the foundation stone for the proposed extension to Girish Memorial Building (President Maharaj’s Quarters) at Belur Math on 9 October, the birthday of Swami Abhedanandaji.

Durga Puja (in image) was celebrated at the following 24 centres: Antpur, Asansol, Barasat, Contai, Cooch Behar, Dhaleswar (under Agartala), Ghatshila, Guwahati, Jalpaiguri, Jamshedpur, Jayrambati, Kamarpukur, Karimganj, Lucknow, Malda, Medinipur, Mumbai, Patna, Port Blair, Rahara, Shella (under Cherrapunji), Shillong, Silchar and Varanasi Advaita Ashrama.

At Patna centre, Sri Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar, attended Durga Puja celebration on 22 October, Mahashtami day.

The circulation of Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam, the Tamil monthly published by Chennai Math, has crossed 1,50,000 copies per month.  To mark this occasion, a function was held at Erode on 23 September, which was attended by about 3500 persons.

The annual convocation of Vivekananda University for the Faculties of Disability Management and Special Education (DMSE) and General & Adapted Physical Education and Yoga (GAPEdY) was held at the University’s Faculty Centre at Coimbatore on 5 October, in which 156 and 131 successful candidates respectively of the above faculties were awarded certificates and degrees from diploma to doctoral levels.  Sri V V Bhat, Member, Atomic Energy Commission, Space Commission and Earth Commission, delivered the convocation address.

The convocation of Vivekananda University for the Faculty of Integrated Rural & Tribal Development and Management (IRTDM) was held at the University’s Faculty Centre located at Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Morabadi, Ranchi, on 15 October.  Swami Suhitanandaji, General Secretary, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, who is also the Chancellor of the University, presided over the function and awarded the degrees to eight candidates of M.Sc. and nine candidates of B.Sc. in IRTDM.  Dr S Ayappan, Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, and Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, was the Guest-in-Chief and delivered the convocation address.  On this occasion, the General Secretary inaugurated the newly constructed four-storey building for the IRTDM Faculty.  He also unveiled and dedicated an eleven‑foot bronze statue of Swami Vivekananda installed in front of the new building.

Bhagwan Mahaveer Foundation, Chennai, selected our Itanagar hospital for the 15th Mahaveer Award for excellence in the sphere of community and social service.  Dr K Rosaiah, Governor of Tamil Nadu, handed over the award, comprising a citation, an image of Bhagawan Mahaveer and a purse of Rs. 10,00,000/-, on 10 October at a public function held in Chennai.

Sri Pranab Mukherjee, President of India, accompanied by Sri Hansraj Bhardwaj, Governor of Karnataka; Sri Jagadish Shettar, Chief Minister of Karnataka, and several other dignitaries visited Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Swami Vivekananda Marg, Belgaum, (sub-centre of Belgaum Ashrama) on 11 October.  The President unveiled a plaque to mark the commencement of the restoration work on Swami Vivekananda Memorial, the house where Swamiji had stayed for 4 days in October 1892.  The President also performed Bhoomi Puja for the proposed Swami Vivekananda Value Education and Cultural Centre on the adjoining plot of land.  Swami Suhitanandaji, General Secretary, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission; the President of India, and the Governor and the Chief Minister of Karnataka addressed the public meeting organized on this occasion.

Swami Suhitanandaji, General Secretary, Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission, laid the foundation stone for the proposed staff quarters of Saradapitha, Belur, on 14 October.

The newly set-up permanent exhibition on Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi at Delhi Ashrama was declared open on 15 October.

The new prayer hall at Port Blair centre was inaugurated on 15 October.

Sri Hansraj Bhardwaj, Governor of Kerala, visited Ramakrishna Ashrama, Nettayam, (sub-centre of Thiruvananthapuram Ashrama) on 29 October.

Rahara college has started M.Sc. course in Botany from the current academic year, West Bengal State University having granted autonomy to the college for the course.

Students of Rahara college secured the following ranks (within the first ten) at the B.Sc. (Honours) final examinations held by West Bengal State University this year: Physics: 4, 5, 7, 9 & 10; Chemistry:  2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 9; Mathematics: 1; Zoology: 3; Botany: 1.

Bhubaneswar centre conducted two health awareness camps—one at Shyamcharanpur (Dist. Dhankanal) on 30 September and the other at Bhuasini Patana (Dist. Khurda) on 7 October—in which altogether 624 patients were treated.

Medinipur centre conducted a free medical camp on 2 October at Kuchakala village of Paschim Medinipur district in which 10 specialist doctors treated 1104 patients.

Thrissur Math conducted a value education programme for parents on 21 October, which was attended by 146 parents.

Baranagar Mission Ashrama conducted a parents’ conference on 3 & 4 October, which was attended by 147 parents.

We are sorry to announce the passing away of four of our brother-monks:

Swami Tapananandaji (Mihir Maharaj), aged 85, breathed his last on 12 October at 8.05 am at Seva Pratishthan, Kolkata, owing to pneumonia.  Initiated by Swami Virajanandaji, he joined the Order in 1954 at Shillong centre and had Sannyasa from Swami Madhavanandaji in 1964.  Besides his joining centre, he served at the Headquarters and Jamshedpur, Ranchi Sanatorium and Seva Pratishthan centres as an assistant.  He was also the head of Ramharipur and Ranchi Sanatorium centres.  He had been living a retired life for the last fourteen years, mainly at Varanasi Sevashrama and Belur Math.  Meticulous in work and disciplined in personal life, the Swami took keen interest in tribal welfare activities.  He was also a proficient musician, and he enriched himself with the knowledge of the great musical traditions of the Sangha.

Swami Yatishanandaji (Rama Narayan Maharaj), aged 72, expired on 14 October at 10.50 pm at Seva Pratishthan, Kolkata, owing to stomach cancer.  Initiated by Swami Madhavanandaji, he joined the Order in 1963 at Varanasi Home of Service and had Sannyasa from Swami Vireshwaranandaji in 1972.  Besides his joining centre, he served at Belur Math Dispensary and Jalpaiguri, Malda, Narendrapur (Kolkata), Varanasi Advaita Ashrama, Katihar, Mayavati, Bangalore, Manasadwip and Saradapitha (Belur) centres.  He also participated in relief work at some places.  The Swami was lively and jovial by nature.

Swami Swahanandaji (Bipadbhanjan Maharaj), Head of Vedanta Society of Southern California, USA, passed away at a hospital in Hollywood on 19 October at 2.52 pm local time (20 October at 2.22 am Indian Standard Time) owing to a brainstem stroke.  He was 91.  An initiated disciple of Swami Vijnananandaji (a monastic disciple of Sri Ramakrishna), he joined the Order at Saradapitha, Belur, in 1947 and had Sannyasa from Swami Shankaranandaji in 1956.  Besides his joining centre, he served at Chennai Math (where he was the Editor of our monthly English journal Vedanta Kesari for 5 years). He was appointed the Head of Delhi centre in 1962.  In 1968 he was sent to San Francisco (USA) as an Assistant Minister.  After that he served at Berkeley (USA) centre as the Head for 6 years from 1970.  The most noteworthy among his services to the Order is his long and uninterrupted spiritual ministration for 36 years as the Minister-in-charge of Hollywood (USA) centre from 1976.  During this period the centre saw a phenomenal expansion of its activities with several sub-centres coming within its ambit, among which special mention may be made of Ridgely Manor closely associated with Swami Vivekananda’s memory.  The Swami has to his credit several books in English.  He has also translated into English some important Sanskrit scriptural texts, including Chhandogya Upanishad and Panchadashi.  His pleasing manners, wit and humour, affectionate dealings with one and all, and above all contagious positive energy won him the love and admiration of all those who came in contact with him.  In him the Order has lost an enlightened monk and eminent member, and charismatic figure of Vedanta work in the West.

Swami Dhiratmanandaji (Gurupada Maharaj of Ranchi TB Sanatorium), aged 39, met a sudden and untimely death on 26 October at 11 am.  Till 7 am on the 25th he was in quite normal health.  However, when a monk of the Sanatorium went to his room for some work at about 8 am, he found Dhiratmanandaji lying in a semi-conscious state.  He was immediately rushed to a local hospital.  On examination, he was found to have suffered a massive cerebrovascular accident.  On the next morning he breathed his last at the hospital.  An initiated disciple of Swami Bhuteshanandaji, he joined the Order at Saradapitha, Belur, in 1999 and had Sannyasa from Swami Atmasthanandaji in 2009.  Besides his joining centre, he served at Taki, Indore and Ranchi Sanatorium centres.  The Swami was simple and quiet by nature.

The following centres conducted Child Eye Care Programmes, details of which are given below:

The following centres conducted free eye camps:

* Through Chengalpattu centre

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 keeping well at Belur Math.  He will be visiting Hyderabad and Kadapa from 12 to 26 November.

Swami Prabhanandaji, Vice-President, is keeping well at Belur Math.  He is scheduled to visit Ramharipur from 16 to 21 November, and Jessore (Bangladesh) from 26 November to 1 December.