Prerona explores Vivekananda’s ideas

The present generation lives with many pressures. Young people face the fear of failure, confusion about values, and constant competition. Swami Vivekananda understood these struggles, even during his time. The great monk asked people to be strong in mind and honest in action. He believed that a better society begins with confident and responsible individuals. This is why his ideas still speak to young people nowadays.

With the spirit of Swami Vivekananda in mind, Prerona, a non-governmental based in the Haridevpur area, organised a discussion meeting on Swami Vivekananda. With the help of such programmes, the organisation tries to bring meaningful ideas into daily conversations.

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The discussion was organised to mark the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, 12 January. The topic of discussion was “Why is Swami Vivekananda’s acceptance still increasing today?”

Subhasis Chakraborty, former Member of Parliament and chief adviser of Prerona, inaugurated the programme. Speaking on the occasion, Alapan Bandyopadhyay, former Chief Secretary and Chief Adviser to the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, said that Swami Vivekananda believed nation-building must start with character-building. He noted that the idea of practical Vedanta motivated people to combine efficiency, ethics, and compassion in public life. This explains why his relevance continues to grow in modern society.

Swami Vedaswarupananda Maharaj of RKM Golpark, highlighted the message of service that Vivekananda carried. This reminded the audience that service to humanity was regarded by him as the highest form of worship. He said that Ramakrishna Mission carries the message forward by uniting spiritual discipline with selfless social work. By serving others, individuals can discover their own strengths and purpose at the same time.

Anindya Bhattacharya, noted writer and officer-in-charge of the Vivekananda Archive at the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Golpark conducted the session. The discussion reminded the audience Vivekananda was not only a figure from the past, his thoughts still guide us in our daily lives. With this programme, Prerona showed how old ideas continue to help people live better, more thoughtful lives nowadays.