HYDERABAD: Swami Vivekananda has been a role model for youth for generations now. He has inspired a whole host of leaders, from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to Mahatma Gandhi and continues to motivate the youth through his works even today, a full 150 years after his birth. In a fitting tribute to the man, who symbolises the renaissance of India, hundreds of youngsters gathered at the Ramakrishna Math and Mission here on Tuesday a couple of days ahead of his 150th birth anniversary to recall his contribution to the country and draw inspiration from him.
His birthday, which falls on Jan 12, is being celebrated as the National Youth Day since 1984 and this year, it being his 150th birth anniversary, the Vivekananda Institute of Human Excellence of the RK Mission, Hyderabad, is organising a three-day festival called Shraddha. About 900 MBA students and many other post-graduates from different colleges in the city attended the youth convention, the first among a whole host of programmes lined up as part of the three-day event.
Lok Satta leader Jayaprakash Narayan, human resources academician from Cochin Vijay Menon and former DGP Dr Aravind Rao graced the occasion and sought to motivate the students. Speaking to City Express, one of the participants Neha Karing, an employee of TCS, said, “The speeches during the first session were really inspiring. I think people have stopped evaluating themselves these days. Sometimes, a lot of can be resolved by just sitting through a session.”
The first session focused on achieving management excellence and was followed by cultural programmes wherein students came forward to speak or sing songs. A group of youngsters from Karimnagar performed popular folk numbers. The second session, “Locating the Heart - Essence of Management”, had the students hooked. The
question and answer session was perhaps the liveliest of the lot with the students throwing up a number of questions ranging from career options to ways and means of improving their concentration.
Vijay Menon interacted with participants on spiritual and social transformation while director of the Vivekananda Institute of Human Excellence Swami Bodhamayananda stressed the relevance of Swami Vivekananda's message of fearlessness and faith in oneself in the modern times.
A student from AV College, Sai Kumar Goud, summed up the proceedings thus: “I have always loved reading about icons, but relating their experiences in the contemporary scenario is something very essential. And through this festival, we are getting to learn about managing our work in a more systematic manner."