National yough Day 2009

[Guest guest]

VIVEKANANDA DARSHANIKA SAMAJAM

(Under the patronage of Sri Ramakrishna Math)

 

Devi Kripa, Tharekkad, P. B. No. 40, Palakkad, Pin 678001

E-mail : vandhevivekanandham

<vandhevivekanandham

NATIONAL YOUTH DAY CELEBRATIONS 09

NATION BUILDING THROUGH CHARACTER MAKING

 

Dear friends,

 

Warmest greetings and best wishes from all of us here. We earnestly

request you to find some time from your busy schedule to read the

following.

 

Vivekananda Darshanika Samajam, which is a registered non-Govt,

non-political, non-sectarian body with its Headquarters in Palakkad,

Kerala, has been engaged for the past few years in the task of studying,

assimilating and propagating the `life-giving, character-making and

nation-building' ideas and ideals embodied in the life and teachings

of Swami Vivekananda among the people in general and the youth in

particular. Through our various intellectually stimulating and socially

useful programmes like seminars, public meetings, workshops,

competitions of various types, photo and book exhibitions and sales,

publication of material etc. we have been striving to infuse in the

youth a sense of discipline, social responsibility, religious and social

harmony, team work and `sradha', besides inculcating in them the

abiding values of courage, strength of mind, compassion, sense of

purpose and purity and thereby preparing them for selfless service and

renunciation, on the lines indicated by our greatest friend,

philosopher, guide and supreme source of inspiration, Swami Vivekananda.

The Samajam has the patronage and blessings of Sri Ramakrishna Maths and

the active help and guidance of highly respected and prominent persons

all over Kerala. .

 

For the past few years, we have been making Swamiji's birthday (12th

January, which is also observed as National Youth Day) a special

occasion to spread out his wholesome and positive teachings, so relevant

to these turbulent and extremely volatile times of discord, terrorism,

violence, intolerance and debasement of moral and spiritual values. Now,

more than ever, there is the urgent need to listen to and imbibe the

authentic

and eternal message of harmony. love, hope and courage of India, so ably

and convincingly given by Her greatest son of modern times. His

authentic, dynamic and universal message, purged of all embellishments

of caste, creed or superstitions, forged out of his burning soul, and

couched in modern language and idiom and satisfying the most rational

minds, cannot but enter the minds and hearts of modern youth if only

they care to read and understand him. It has been our experience that

once they get acquainted with his wholesome message, they instinctively

get transformed and ennobled. There can

be no better model than Swamiji for the modern youth to follow or a

better gospel than his teachings for them to practice.

 

 

As you very well know, Swamiji's next birth day falls on 12th

January 2009. We have already made elaborate plans in connection with

these celebrations to reach out to the youth of the State in a very big

way. We have purposely chosen the theme NATION BUILDING THROUGH

CHARACTER MAKING as the motto as we are convinced that the crisis of the

nation is essentially a crisis in character. There is the pressing need

to rebuild the character of our youth, to bring out their potentialities

in full and channelise their immense power to positive and nation

building activities. A Reception Committee consisting of 108 prominent

persons from all over the State has been constituted for the purpose to

formulate and implement the programmes. We are very happy to inform you

that Sri Shashi Tharoor, former Under Secretary Genl. UNO and a

prominent writer has consented to be our Patron in Chief. Among our

patrons mention may be made of Dr. K.S. Radhakrishnan, VC, Sankaracharya

University, Dr. K.Gopalan and Dr. K. Ravindran (both former VCs), Dr.

Unithiri, former PVC.. We have already made plans of holding meetings,

seminars, workshops etc. in a large number of schools and colleges on

this theme, besides conducting competitions of various kinds for

students and youth, exhibitions, sale of books etc highlighting the all

out importance of rebuilding character and making the young realize

their duties, responsibilities and mission in life. These will be

rounded off with a massive Youth Meet on the 11th Jan. 09, which will be

attended among others by Sri Shashi Tharoor himself. .

 

One of the highlights of these celebrations is the publication of a

Souvenir of a totally different and novel kind. For one thing, it is

primarily addressed to the youth on the theme Nation Building through

character making for reasons mentioned above. It is our earnest

endeavour to make it a valuable guide for them to inspire, motivate and

help them to be good and do good. Secondly, to achieve this laudable

mission, we think it prudent to approach the most distinguished persons

from various fields in the country (like science, technology, industry,

literature, arts, media, law, public life, religion, sports etc) who

command universal respect by their character and by their worthwhile

contributions to the country. For the sake of the younger generation, we

want them to go down their memory lane for once and bring out their joys

and sorrows, aspirations and setbacks, the ideals and role models they

have had and the road they traversed to reach their present positions of

eminence.

Such a book will give an object lesson for our youth how to make success

of their lives and is more valuable and useful than mere theoretical

dissertations on ethics and morality.

 

We have already approached more than fifty most distinguished and

morally upright persons both within the state and outside for

contributions and many of them have positively responded. The Youth

Meet on 11th January will be attended among others by Shri Shashi

Tharoor himself. We have planned a number of programmes in

Schools/Colleges as well as public places so as to create an awareness

among the youth of their duties, responsibilities and mission in life

(many of them are already under way) prior to the Youth Meet in order to

mobilize the youth in large numbers for the Meet.

 

One of the objectives of the Samajam is to connect and thereby

strengthen organizations working on similar lines elsewhere in the

country and outside so that a powerful Movement can emerge to help

effective and positive national reconstruction .We seek your

cooperation, guidance and active assistance in this endeavour, in

whatever manner feasible to you.( We will be sending you a few notices

issued by us separately.) We will be delighted if you could send this

letter to those who think on similar lines. The souvenir, when released,

will be sent to you.

 

With utmost regards and wishing you well.

Prof. S.Radhakrishnan

Managing Editor

Mob 09446531015; 09846606699; 09895499611; 09946066158