
[![alt text](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fIU7R7NuKg4/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEcCNACELwBSFXyq4qpAw4IARUAAIhCGAFwAcABBg==&rs=AOn4CLAy8CV7WRY7d5YhgC7D787T2vPgXA)](https://youtu.be/fIU7R7NuKg4)

How many times have you felt the need for the ability to sail through all the odds of life courageously and come out as victorious? Are there some aspects of our existence which remain unsatisfied in spite of all our achievements? Is there a way of living which can open the doors of perpetual joy and happiness, everlasting and illimitable?

When one tries to find answers to such questions, one colossal figure who cannot be forgotten is Swami Vivekananda.

<Quote
  content="“I was barely fifteen when Vivekananda entered my life. Then there followed a revolution within and everything was turned upside down”"
  author="Subhash Chandra Bose"
/>

This is how Subhash Chandra Bose describes the influence of Swami Vivekananda.

He had such impacts on the lives of countless personalities who were transformed after coming in contact with his thoughts and which enabled them to reach new heights. Vivekananda Samiti, IIT Kanpur makes an attempt to implement the teachings of Swami Vivekananda through practical activities for the overall well being of the campus community. To start the session 2022-23, we have planned Aadi Parv, the introductory festival to convey our mission, vision and activities to the campus community. We cordially invite you to join.

## Event Details  
Date: 05/08/2022  

Time: 6:30 pm   

Venue: L14  

Chief Guest: Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT Kanpur  

Speaker: Swami Atmashraddhananda, Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission, Kanpur  

## Structure of the Event
- Vivekananda Samiti Introduction
- Inauguration and speech by chief guest Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Director IIT Kanpur
- Talk by Swami Atmashraddhananda Ji Maharaj on “Swami Vivekananda: His Message and Contribution”
- Guided Meditation Session by Swami Atmashraddhananda Ji Maharaj 
- Concluding speech by  Prof. Anurag Tripathi

In the end, a book will be distributed to the audience.

Do join to get new insights!




VS IITK continues to engage faculty members, students and other members of the IITK community in dispensing the message of Swami Vivekananda and in encouraging various kinds of intellectual and inspirational discussions, meditation and Gita sessions. In addition to that, with the help of generous assistance from the IITK authorities and community members over the years, we have also been able to conduct several community service activities, including health camps and eye camps in nearby villages and neighbourhoods around IITK and Kanpur city.

For the past few years, we have been trying our best to distribute clothes during winter (blankets and basic winter garments) to the needy and homeless people in Kanpur city and villages around Kanpur. In the recent past, we have been fortunate to have the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Kanpur, collaborating with us in our endeavours. This year, we plan to raise funds to distribute 'kambals', 'woollen caps', and 'socks' to as many people in the city, railway station, and villages as we can within our capacity. We are all aware that winters are severe in all parts of northern India, including Kanpur. Due to the lack of sufficient infrastructural facilities and provisions, many people cannot afford even basic warm clothes, let alone other means of heating. Every year, cities across North India also report several casualties due to extreme weather conditions.

We plan to distribute one 'kambal', one 'woollen cap', and a pair of 'socks' as a complete 'set' to as many people as we can. Each set would cost us in the range of Rs. 350-450. After we have raised sufficient funds in the given time interval, we will buy the required number of such sets. Afterwards, we will distribute them in phases across the city and villages. The tentative date for the first phase of distribution is first week of December 2022.

Without your kind and generous contribution, this entire effort on our part would remain incomplete. We hope you contribute to this collective act of service within your capacity. As part of VS IITK, we will always be grateful to you for this help and for enabling us to continue serving our communities both inside and outside the campus.

You can have a look at some of the pictures of the blanket distribution drive organised in past years:

[Blanket distribution drive 2021](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1q-iZqjiNVTCJ9CCImEspT-tVlYVK86N6?usp=sharing)

[Blanket distribution drive 2019](https://drive.google.com/open?id=1CPv0BoTnh5a9cO2rDmMJzI4Sqo8YHiAS)


<Quote
  content="Even the least work done for others awakens the power within; even thinking the least good of others gradually instils into the heart the strength of a lion."
  author="Swami Vivekananda"
/>


May the millions of lamps of Diwali illuminate your life with happiness, joy, peace and health!

Festivals can bring more happiness when there is a sense of collective belonging as a society and when we can bring joy into the lives of others. As an attempt to bring smiles as bright as the lights of Diwali to the underprivileged sections of society, we are organising a clothes donation drive this Diwali for the campus community. You can contribute by donating old clothing, blankets etc. which are no longer in your use. 

This is a donation drive. Kindly make sure the clothes are in usable condition. You can put them in the donation box, which would be in the mess of every hall and ensure that the clothes are folded before putting them into the donation box. 

Date: 23rd and 24th October

Donated clothes would be distributed to orphanages and other underprivileged areas near Kanpur where they are in need.


[![alt text](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FbT8C-X_mDA/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEcCNACELwBSFXyq4qpAw4IARUAAIhCGAFwAcABBg==&rs=AOn4CLBqj93EE8WK1678wV-dPpxsvYoOsg)](https://youtu.be/FbT8C-X_mDA)

What makes a true leader: Lessons from Swami Vivekananda

Speaker: Shri Sharad Vivek Sagar

Date: August 16, 2022

Time: 6:30 PM

Venue: L-1

## Speaker Bio
<Quote
  content="My story is not just my story, it's our story — the great Indian story — the story of all things being possible no matter who you are, where you were born and what your parents did; the story of your hard work and dreams and merit dictating your destiny not your inheritance or zip code or family income."
  author="Sharad Vivek Sagar"
/>

An internationally awarded social entrepreneur known for his work in the field of education and leadership, Sharad Sagar founded Dexterity Global at the early age of 16. Dexterity Global is a national organisation powering the next generation of leaders through educational opportunities and training. Dexterity reaches over 7 million young citizens across remote towns and villages of India. He has several global recognitions on his name.

- He was enlisted in the global Forbes 30 Under 30 list at the age of 24 and was invited by US President Barack Obama to the White House, among other world leaders. 
- Sharad Sagar has won over 200 local, national and international quiz and debate competitions and represented India at intergovernmental and UN platforms. 
- Rockefeller Foundation inducted him into the list of 100 Next Century Innovators. 
- The Nobel Peace Centre invited him to the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony. 
- The queen of England included him in the Queen's Young Leaders list. 
- Sharad Sagar became the first Indian to be elected as the president of the Student Government at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE). 

If we look at his background, we see that he was from a village in Bihar. He even did not go to school up to the age of 12 years, instead got home schooling from his father. His hard work proved that situations can't stop you; instead, they make you stronger.




<Quote
  content="Bhagavad-Gita is a true scripture of the human race, a living creation rather than a book, with a new message for every age and a new meaning for every civilization."
  author="Sri Aurobindo"
/>
Life is full of surprises and questions!! Ever wished you had a manual of life that would help you navigate your way through this big and amazing maze called life?

Then consider your wishes answered because THE BHAGAVAD GITA is hailed as one of the best life manuals ever written and we bring to you a much awaited event THE GITA MAHOTSAV, on the occasion of Gita Jayanti, to explore the scripture and extract meaningful teachings from it.

In the words of Vinoba Bhave, In the Bhagavad Gita, there is no long discussion, nothing elaborate. The main reason for this is that everything stated in the Gita is meant to be tested in the life of every man; it is intended to be verified in practice.

We are hosting a week-long event to unravel the hidden teachings of this great scripture. We will witness talks from personalities who have a deep understanding of Gita followed by a Q/A session where you can ask your doubts. 

The details are as follows:

## An Introduction to Bhagavad Gita

Date: 3rd December

Talk: 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM

Question - Answer session : 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM

Abstract of the Topic:  

Life throws challenges at us quite often. Sometimes we lack courage in facing them and feel depressed or the situation breaks us down. A similar situation occurred in the life of a great hero of India, Arjuna and he also got deluded to choose his right duties amidst a great crisis, which was the famous Mahabharata war. Arjuna was an accomplished and invincible warrior and had experienced intense life in all its aspects. But in the battlefield his mind went into delusion and despondency. Not that he was afraid of fighting or not confident of his skills, but his problem was different. What was his problem, what was his difficulty that ushered his awakening? What type of questions arose in his mind and how were they answered? If his best friend, philosopher, and guide, Sri Krishna, would not help him in this process of evolution, who would? 

Thousands of Arjunas are still facing a similar crisis in their life's journey and the Bhagavad Gita still offers them solutions. It is for us to pay attention to that call and resolve the crisis. Here in this talk, we shall see in detail how Sri Krishna's teachings can help us to face life boldly and joyfully.

## How to Face Life: Wisdom from Gita 

Date: 7th December

Talk: 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM

Question - Answer session : 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM

About the Speaker: 

Swami Nikhileswarananda is the Head of Rajkot centre of Ramakrishna Mission. He graduated in Chemical Engineering (with honors) in 1970 and post graduated in Industrial Engineering in 1972. After working for a short period as a Management Consultant, he renounced the world and joined Ramakrishna Order at its Headquarter at Belur Math in 1976. For 11 years he edited the Gujarati Monthly 'Shri Ramakrishna Jyot' published from Shri Ramakrishna Ashram, Rajkot ( Gujarat) – from 1989 to 2000. Earlier he was in Ranchi (Jharkhand) from 1977 to 1986 when he guided the rural and tribal development project – 'Divyayan Krishi Vigyan Kendra' which received the award of best KVK of the country.
Before coming to Vadodara he was the Head of Porbandar centre for eight years. He was instrumental in constructing 37 school buildings and three colonies in Porbandar district as a part of earthquake rehabilitation project and in starting Vivekananda Institute of Value Education & Culture (VIVEC) which was inaugurated by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, H.E the President of India on January12 , 2006.
He tours extensively preaching the universal message of Vedanta in industrial houses, management institutions and educational institutions. He has visited hundreds of educational institutions for preaching the character-building message of Swami Vivekananda and has conducted training programmes on Stress Management, Productivity through Holistic Management, Management of Mind, Total Personality Development, Women Empowerment, Happiness and Peace in everyday Life, Mind Medicine and Meditation, Management of Everyday Life etc. for many reputed companies like IPCL, GSFC, GNFC, GACL, Tata Chemicals Ltd., Reliance, Birla Copper Ltd. etc. He has contributed a large number of articles on various topics in English, Hindi and Gujarati journals. His books, – 'Happiness and Peace in everyday life'. 'Teacher as a torch bearer of change' and other books in Hindi and Gujarati are quite popular.
He visited U.K. in 2004 for participating in the Second International Conference on Disaster Management at Coventry University, U.K. He has visited many countries for preaching the universal message of Vedanta – South Africa, Mauritius, Germany, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, etc.
He has participated in many inter-faith conferences. He was one among the few selected Hindu leaders invited to participate in the Hindu-Catholic dialogue which took place in Mumbai on June 12, 2009 at the instance of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious dialogue headed by Cardinal Tauran, the representative of the Pope from Vetican. His presentation after the inter-faith prayer service at the Holy Name Cathedral on June 12, 2009. was very much appreciated.

## Karma as Yoga: The Gita Way

Date: 11th December

Talk: 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM

Question - Answer session : 7:30 PM to 8:00 PM

About the Speaker:

Swami Shuddhidananda is the Head of Mayawati centre of Ramakrishna Mission and Advaita Ashram Kolkata, an organization started by Swami Vivekananda more than a hundred years ago which is having its Headquarters at Belur Math, (near Kolkata) and having 173 branches all over the world. He has authored many books, some of which are "Vivekananda as the turning point : the rise of a new spiritual wave", "An exposition of Vivekacūḍāmaṇi in the light of modern thought & modern needs", "Western Admirers of Ramakrishna and His Disciples".


A mass-movement to bring the light of education to India’s deprived

## A Talk on Ekal Vidyalaya

Place: L-15

Date: October 11, 2022

Time: 6.15 PM

## ABOUT EKAL VIDYALAYA AND THE TALK
All are cordially welcome to hear the story of The Ekal Vidyalaya Movement which is bringing the light of education to 77,000+ villages located in
all parts of India. The Movement provides five years of free, non-formal
education to children from the age group 6–14 years.
Around half of the students and teachers are females, and about a fifth of
the students go on to pursue higher education, some of which return to
serve the Ekal Foundation.
A typical school has 30 to 40 students taught by a local youth who has
been specifically trained for teaching. A local organizer looks after a
“sub-cluster” of 10 schools. Local people are also involved in the
operations. The entire organizational structure is designed to keep
operational costs as low as possible.
Classes can be held under a tree, or in a hut. Informal modes of teaching
are also used. These include storytelling, folk dramas, folk songs, and
discourses on self-improvement. Along with literacy, Ekal Vidyalaya
schools also impart education in values, hygiene, responding to common
diseases, importance of maternal and child care, and sustainable farming.
The single-teacher school model as run by Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation has
been praised by several state governments and social organizations in
India for its contribution towards literacy and empowerment in rural and
tribal India. Today, the Foundation runs more than 77,000 schools,
teachers 21 lakh students. Till so far, it has positively impacted the
lives of over 10 crore children,
The presenter about the movement will be Dr. A. S. Prasad, Kanpur’s
foremost orthopedist, a social entrepreneur, and President of Ekal Kanpur.