The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Swami Vivekananda’s signal contribution to humanity hailed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 11, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Swami Vivekananda’s signal contribution to humanity hailed

Staff Reporter

Service, love and compassion the essence of his teachings: Anbazhagan

— PHOTO: M. VEDHAN

One view: Vivekananda college secretary Swami Atmaghanananda with Finance Minister K.Anbazhagan and Governor of Kerala R.L.Bhatia (right) in Chennai on Monday.

CHENNAI: “The essence of Swami Vivekananda’s teachings is service, love and compassion for humanity,” Finance Minister K. Anbazhagan said here on Monday.

He was speaking at the fourth day of the valedictory session of the Ramakrishna Mission Swami Vivekananda College diamond jubilee celebrations.

Speaking on ‘Samudhaya Nokkil Valluvarum Vivekanandarum’, he said while the two may have had their own perspectives on religion and god, both of them firmly believed in the growth and well-being of the common man.

“Vivekananda’s was one of the earliest voices that induced self-respect and self-confidence in people. He sowed the seeds for the Independence movement,” he said. Noting that the societal context in which Thiruvalluvar and Vivekananda addressed people was very different, he said they, however, deemed people’s issues as being superior to all other matters, which is proof enough for their concern for humanity.

Valluvar did not endorse any particular religion or deity. Vivekananda, in his teachings, raised interesting questions about faith and religion. “However, both of them strongly believed that everything was for the society. Religion, faith and even God, is for mankind,” Mr. Anbazhagan said.

Speaking about an incident when someone asked him how he did not believe in the existence of God, but hailed Vivekananda’s teachings, the Finance Minister recalled having said: “I do not have a Ramakrishna Paramahamsa like Vivekananda did, to make me realise God.” The audience roared in laughter and applauded instantly.

Governor of Kerala R.L. Bhatia said the college upheld the dictum of nation-building with a profound sense of dedication. “Competence sans commitment will serve none,” he emphasised.

Study of technology without humanistic education will be deficient and result in lop-sided growth. Mr. Bhatia urged students to acquire knowledge and contribute to the development of the country.

Director of the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras M.S. Ananth and Ashok Leyland managing director R. Seshasayee, both alumni of the institution, spoke.

“The world has changed a lot and we have come a long way in teaching,” Mr. Ananth said. In contrast to the gurukula system, knowledge was now being offered at students’ homes, through the computer. Online tutors, however, could not build character, he said.

Speaking on knowledge as a driving force of growth, Mr. Seshasayee said: “Returns on knowledge were greater than returns on capital of any other kind.”

Vice chancellor of the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University Swami Atmapriyananda spoke on the importance of character building while imparting education. Swami Somanandaji Maharaj, one of the senior most monks of the order, said intellect and character of students should grow simultaneously.

Secretary of the college Swami Atmaghanananda and vice president of the Ramakrishna Mission Vidyapith Nalli Kuppuswamy Chetty were present.

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