Holding placards that displayed quotes of Swami Vivekanada, raising slogans and dancing to the beats of Dhimsa and patriotic tunes, a number of students took part in the colourful procession ‘Vivek Shobha Yatra’ that began from Old Jail Road to mark 154th birth anniversary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda on Thursday. The rally was organised by Ramakrsihna Mission, Visakhapatnam branch.
With a well-decorated truck carrying the statue of Swami Vivekananda and a horse-drawn chariot accompanying the entourage, the yatra proceeded to Ramakrishna Mission Ashram via Ramnagar and Nowroji Raod.
Flagged off by MP and State BJP president K. Haribabu, the procession that began at 8:30 a.m. saw hundreds of students from Dr. L. Bullayya College, Sri Swami Vivekananda High School and Rani Memorial Vidyalayam along with NCC cadets of Mrs. A.V.N. College. Drawing inspiration from the Swami Vivekananda, Veerendra, Class VIII student who took part in the procession, said that youth can contribute significantly to development of nation. “Be it his quotes or radical thinking, Swami Vivekananda continues to inspire young minds. His books inspire me to achieve anything impossible,” he says.
The rally was followed by a lecture session at the ashram where Chairman of the Visakhapatnam Port Trust M.T. Krishna Babu, Commissioner of Police T. Yoganand and secretary of the ashram Swami Atmavidananda delivered talks.
Dressed up as Swami Vivekananda, several students celebrated the birth anniversary at Sri Prakash Vidyaniketan. A sand sculpture was an added attraction on the premises. Assistant secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Ashram Swami Guneshananda urged the students to draw inspiration from Vivekananda and encouraged them to devise ways to take the nation forward, spreading the message of peace and equality. Director of the school Ch. Vasu Prakash and staff members were part of the celebrations.
Students of GITAM University paid floral tributes to the statue of Vivekananda to mark the National Youth Day. University Vice-Chancellor M.S. Prasada Rao, Registrar M. Potharaju and Principal of Institute of Technology K. Lakshmi Prasad along with other invitees took part in the programme.
