NAROTTAM NAGAR, Sep 11: Home Minister Mama Natung on Friday inaugurated a Pressure Water Filtration Plant and laid the foundation stone for 24 units of proposed teaching staff quarters at Ramakrishna Mission, Narottam Nagar.
The two infrastructure initiatives were taken up as part of the observance of the 133rd anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s historic Chicago Address, celebrated as Universal Brotherhood Day at the Ramakrishna Mission campus.
The foundation stone for the proposed teaching staff quarters was laid at Gurupally. The residential facility is expected to strengthen accommodation arrangements for the teaching staff and further support the educational activities of the Mission.
Natung, who also holds the portfolios of Public Health Engineering and Water Supply, and Indigenous Affairs, later inaugurated the Pressure Water Filtration Plant at the Mission campus. The facility will provide filtered drinking water to students and other members of the campus community.
Following the inauguration, the dignitaries visited Abhedananda Bhavan, the newly constructed hostel building.
The programme was presided over by Rev Swami Jnanalokanandaji Maharaj, Trustee, Ramakrishna Math and Member of the Governing Body, Ramakrishna Mission, and Secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House and Cultural Centre, Kolkata. Environment and Forest Minister Wangki Lowang attended the programme as guest of honour.
The day’s programme began with floral tributes to Swami Vivekananda at his statue on Vivekananda Marg. The dignitaries subsequently visited students of Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Vidyalaya at Bodhi Dwar before proceeding to Gurupally for the foundation stone-laying ceremony.
They were later received by the school band at Vidya Dwar and proceeded to Vivekananda Sabhagriha for the main commemorative programme.
The programme featured devotional and patriotic songs by students, a presentation on memorable events from Swami Vivekananda’s life, prize distribution for a drawing competition, release of Ga-Ho-Re, a collection of songs, and distribution of IDBI scholarships.
Welcoming the dignitaries, Swami Achyuteshananda, Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission, Narottam Nagar, highlighted the significance of Swami Vivekananda’s message of universal brotherhood and its relevance in the contemporary world.
He also submitted a memorandum seeking a new water filtration plant to replace the Mission’s five-decade-old water storage and filtration infrastructure. Natung assured the Mission of all possible assistance in this regard.
Addressing the gathering, Lowang and Natung stressed the importance of acceptance and tolerance in contemporary society, stating that these values are essential for lasting peace and prosperity.
The new infrastructure initiatives mark significant milestones in the continued development of Ramakrishna Mission, Narottam Nagar, and are expected to strengthen its facilities for education, welfare and service activities.