VIJAYAWADA: The Ramakrishna Mission will inaugurate the Vivekananda Centre for Human Excellence (VCHE) at Gandhinagar in Vijayawada on February 1, marking a major milestone in the Mission’s 25-year presence in the city and aiming to create a value-based ecosystem for youth development in AP.
Ramakrishna Mission president, Swami Gautamanandaji Maharaj, will launch the centre, while former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will attend as the chief guest.
The inauguration coincides with the birth anniversary of Swami Adbhutananda Maharaj, adding significance to it.
According to Swami Sitikanthananda, the centre has been conceived in alignment with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. He said the Centre for Human Excellence seeks to bridge the gap between academic education and character building by offering programmes that integrate ethics, values and practical life skills.
The centre will provide value-based training for civil services aspirants with a focus on ethics and public life, along with programmes in meditation, yoga and mental wellness to address stress and digital addiction among youth.
It will offer leadership training and public speaking programmes, while a Bala Samskara Kendra will introduce children to classical music, dance and moral stories rooted in Indian culture.
Built at a cost of `8.5 crore, the six-storeyed facility has been designed to combine modern infrastructure with spiritual environment. It houses a high-tech bookstore, a temple space for meditation, multiple classrooms for competitive examinations and skill training, and a large dining hall to cater visiting devotees.
On February 1, the programme will begin at 9 am with the dedication of the building, followed by a public meeting at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram. A youth convention titled Yuva Sammelanam will be held at 2 pm, featuring an interactive question-and-answer session with monks from across the country, aimed at students and young professionals.
The celebrations will conclude at 4.45 pm with cultural programmes, including classical dance, bhajans and plays performed by students of Ramakrishna Mission schools.
Swami Vinischalananda Maharaj called upon the youth to treat the centre as a second home for personal and moral growth and urged them to make full use of the guidance and facilities now available in the heart of Vijayawada.