A new chapter opened on the campus of Biswa Bangla University in Birbhum with the establishment of the “Anantashree Sitaramdas Omkarnath” National and International Chair, an initiative described as a significant step towards strengthening Bengal’s spiritual, cultural and philosophical scholarship.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had long expressed her intent to set up an institution in Birbhum that would integrate liberal arts, culture, devotion and contemplative disciplines. Her earlier visit to Mahamilan Math – the headquarters of the Omkarnath Mission near Dunlop, founded by Sri Sri Sitaramdas Onkarnath with over a hundred ashrams across India – laid the foundation for this initiative. During that visit, she assured Acharya and president Kinkar Vitthal Ramanuj Maharaj and Mission president-cum-general secretary Kinkar Priyanath that the government would extend full support to take the teachings and philosophy of Sri Sri Omkarnath Dev to the younger generation.
University officials said the newly established chair aims to facilitate organised, high-quality research on one of the foremost pillars of Indian bhakti philosophy and spiritual-cultural heritage. The objectives include interdisciplinary studies in Indology, sociology, philosophy, devotional traditions, language, literature and culture; archival collection and preservation of rare manuscripts and texts related to the Onkarnath tradition; translation and publication projects; and hosting national and international conferences, seminars and workshops. In the coming years, the university also plans to introduce specialised degree programmes including MPhil and PhD under this chair. Vice-Chancellor Dilip Kumar Maiti said: “This chair is not merely an academic initiative. It reflects the government’s commitment to preserving the spiritual and philosophical heritage of Bengal and the country. Without the Chief Minister’s motivation and Chandranath Bandopadhyay’s guidance, this would not have been possible.”
He added that the initiative will significantly enhance the scope and quality of research within the state’s higher education sector. Acharya Kinkar Vitthal Ramanuj Maharaj of the Akhil Bharat Jai Guru Sampradaya termed the announcement “a historic moment for millions of devotees”, noting that the message of devotion, service and equality would now reach a wider forum. Onkarnath Mission president Kinkar Priyanath Chattopadhyay said the government’s decision “will stand as a milestone for future research, cultural documentation and scholarly work”.
The announcement comes ahead of the five-lakh-voice Gita chanting event and at a time when the Mahamilan Math area is preparing for another landmark—the inauguration of the Gateway of Kolkata and an adjoining cultural corridor, where a full-scale statue of Sri Sri Omkarnath Dev will be installed. Scholars say the new chair will offer fresh national and international recognition to Bengal’s spiritual-philosophical legacy at a critical moment for Sanatani traditions.