‘Transforming oneself will transform India’. This was the motto with which the book ‘Transforming Indians to Transform India’ was released, kicking off the three-year birth centenary celebrations of Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati , founder of the Chinmaya Mission, here on Saturday.
Born on May 8, 1916, Swami Chinmayananda founded the Chinmaya Mission centre that has more than 300 branches all over the world. A nationwide family quiz, seminars in every district of the country and widespread rallies culminating in 2015, will mark the birth centenary celebrations spread over a period of three years.
The book, which was released by Swami Mitrananda, acharya of Chinmaya Mission Chennai, director of the All India Chinmaya Yuva Kendra, the Global Youth Wing of the Chinmaya Missions, illustrates how one can transform one’s country by first making transformations of oneself with seven short stories. “We carry that which we don’t need, burdening our country. Transforming ourselves will lead to a total transformation of the country. The book contains seven different ways to transform oneself – physical, emotional, cultural, spiritual, patriotic, intellectual and by developing a unique outlook,” he said.
The three-year movement will see a nationwide family quiz on all things India and Indian, while the second year will have seminars conducted across numerous districts on the topic of transforming oneself and the various ways one can do it, concentrating on the transformation of one’s health. The final year of the movement will see rallies conducted by volunteers and members of the Chinmaya Mission, starting from different points in the country. The last date for the registration for the quiz is January 31 and the national finals will be held in August, 2013.