Building Young Minds, Building the Nation

Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai, through its unit Vivekananda Cultural Centre and its youth wing, Vivekananda Youth Forum, is running three Free Tuition Centres with the support of generous donors who contribute towards this noble service.

Inspired by the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, Vivekananda Cultural Centre, through its Youth Forum and dedicated volunteers, strives to empower underprivileged children through free tuition, dedicated teachers, nutritious mini-snacks and engaging, activity-based learning.

We make a sincere effort to uphold Swamiji's ideal of Man-making and Character-building Education, while imparting moral values and sowing the seeds of our rich cultural roots and the ancient wisdom of Bharat.

Swamiji says, "Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man." With this ideal in mind, we also strive to create awareness among parents about the importance of education. Most of the parents of these children belong to economically weaker sections of society. They work as coolies, daily-wage labourers, fishermen, sanitation workers and in other forms of unorganised and informal occupations. Many of them have limited educational opportunities themselves, but they have a strong desire to educate their children and provide them with a better future. Understanding their circumstances, our team conducts parents' meetings every month to encourage and guide them in supporting their children's education.

Nutritious snacks are served every day, keeping in mind that some children are physically weak and may be affected by malnutrition. We also conduct health and hygiene awareness programmes to help children develop healthy habits and take care of themselves.

As the saying goes, "Give a person a fish, and you feed them for a day. Teach a person to fish, and you feed them for a lifetime."

Education is the fundamental remedy for many individual and national problems. It empowers a person to stand independently, think clearly and contribute meaningfully to society.

We believe that Dharma is the foundation of society, and today's children are the pillars of tomorrow's nation. By combining education with the timeless ideals of Swami Vivekananda, we strive to create a generation that is strong in character, independent in thought and committed to serving society.

Every Small Contribution Matters

Whenever a noble Dharma Karyam takes place, even our smallest contribution can become meaningful and bring goodness into our lives.

In the Ramayana, when the vaanaras were building the bridge to Lanka by carrying huge rocks, a little squirrel also wished to contribute to Lord Rama's mission. Unable to carry heavy rocks, it carried small grains of sand and filled the spaces between them. Though its contribution was small, its devotion and willingness to serve were immense.

Likewise, through our humble efforts in educating children, we contribute our small part towards a greater Dharma Karyam — building a stronger future for our nation.

We firmly believe that when the ideals of Swami Vivekananda guide our youth, our nation will continue to rise with strength and dignity.