4 Ringing In The Future - Report Card A look into two educational institutions run by AIM for Seva
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Jul - Sep 2020 | Vol 3 - Issue 2
4 Ringing In
The Future
A look into two educational
institutions run by AIM for Seva
28 Report Card
Online education on the banks
of river Kaveri
Jul – Sept 2020 | • 1Chairperson’s Message 3
Ringing in the Future 4 Event Corner 20
In Loving Memory 9 SDET Updates 28
Academic Spotlight: Corona Crushers 10 Words of Wisdom 37
Straight from the Heart 16
Spirit of the Earth 38
Krupa Care 19
2• | Jul – Sept 2020Namaste.
Today, we are battling a pandemic and AIM for Seva has been at the forefront
in terms of offering relief and assistance to the needy. Around 16 years back,
another calamity hit the shores of Tamil Nadu. The 2004 tsunami caused
irreparable damage across many coastal regions in the state. Kadalur, a tiny
fishing hamlet was one such area that faced nature’s fury in full force.
Almost immediately, AIM for Seva volunteers stepped up relief measures in
this village and as part of a larger rehabilitation effort in the region, a K-12 school
was set up with the Rotary Club of Madras Chenna Patna being one of the early
sponsors to the project. This issue’s cover story that chronicles the journey of
two educational institutions in Tamil Nadu is also a testimony to that power of
service rendered in true spirit during the toughest of times.
We are beseiged by problems from all sides like never before, and the solution
to this is beautifully expressed by Pujya Swamiji himself—“the world that is a
threat to me has to fall in place in terms of the reality it has and I have to fall
in my place in terms of the reality I am. When this happens, I find there is only
solution; there is no problem at all.” The Words of Wisdom segment in this issue
focuses just on that—Problems and Solutions.
At a more practical level, I am happy to state that all our field coordinators and
supporters, students and academic staff have adopted a solution based approach
to the problems thrown in by the virus. The constant reschedulement of the Class
10 and 12 exams did not deter the spirit of students from rural India. Many of
them stayed back at the Chatralayam, got themselves educated on the preventive
measures and continued to doggedly prepare for their exams. The results are for
everyone to see in the section, Academic Spotlight: Corona Crushers.
Similarly, our staff and students have adapted well to online teaching and
learning as evident from our schools and college in Manjakkudi and Sembangudi,
Tamil Nadu.
Lastly, the pandemic challenge also offers us an opportunity to do more Seva.
Warm regards,
SHEELA BALAJI
Chairperson and Managing Trustee | AIM for Seva
Jul – Sept 2020 | • 3COVER STORY
Ringing in the
Picking up the Pieces
Future A peek into two
schools run by
AIM for Seva.
As part of a larger rehabilitation effort in the region, a
need for an English medium school was felt and the Swami
26th December 2004, 7:58 am. The day and time is still
Dayananda Rotary Matriculation Higher Secondary School
vivid in the mind of Perumal Rajamanikkam, a deep sea
took wings in 2005. One of the early sponsors of the institution
fisherman from Angamanikuppam, Kanchipuram district,
was the Rotary Club of Madras Chenna Patna.
Tamil Nadu. “My house is right behind the beach and when the
tsunami struck, we lost everything, our homes and livelihood,” Today, the institution provides education to over 650
recollects Rajamanikkam. students and some of them are sports champions in zonal level
tournaments.
Rajamanikkam’s sentiments are echoed by a student. “Right
after the tsunami, we suffered a lot. We could not even go to School Snapshot—2019–2020
the school to study,” says R. Subhashini, a high school student Classes : KG to 12
from the Swami Dayananda Rotary Matriculation Higher
Number of Students : 688
Secondary School, Kadalur, Tamil Nadu.
Girls : 347
Soon after the waves receded the shore, AIM for Seva
volunteers stepped into Kadalur, a small village hamlet that Boys : 341
borne the brunt of the tsunami. The volunteers worked No of Villages They Come From : 55
round the clock to provide the poor and needy with food and School Director : Swamini Gurupriyananda
temporary shelter, fishing boats, nets and engines. Saraswati ji
4• | Jul – Sept 2020Board Examination Results—2019-2020
At every class and every level, students are taught to respect
Class 10 the culture and traditions that they were born into. Pujya
Swami Dayananda Saraswati, the Founder of AIM for Seva
100%. School Topper—98%
always stressed the importance of imbibing cultural values
Class 12 in children from a tender age. That’s because only a student
100%. (First Batch). School Topper - 90% who knows his or her roots would grow up to be a confident
individual and contribute to the nation building progress.
We continue to keep this message of Pujya Swamiji alive
and the school project at Kadalur is a testimony to that.
School Toppers During the Covid-19 lockdown, teachers from the Swami
• S. Sanjay (Class 12) scored 90% and secured the 1st Dayananda Rotary Matriculation Higher Secondary School,
position at the Madurandhagam Educational District level Kadalur, Tamil Nadu, underwent training in chanting and
(home to 56 higher secondary schools). sloka recitation. “We had embarked on cultural classes for
• K. Praveena (Class 12 ) scored 99% in Tamil; she secured students in a small way during the last academic year (2019-
the 1st rank at the state level. 2020) itself. Buoyed by the response, we are looking to make
this more mainstream and we plan to hold a class on culture
News from the Classroom: Culture Validation at and values every Saturday for two hours for all the 700 school
Every Step students,” Swamini Gurupriyananda Saraswati ji, Director,
The single biggest differentiator that sets the Swami Swami Dayananda Rotary Matriculation Higher Secondary
Dayananda Rotary Matriculation Higher Secondary School School said.
apart from other institutions in the region is the focus on both Similarly, the school management conducted a mass
hardware (school infrastructure) as well as software (value- prayer for board examinations (2019-2020) for the benefit of
education).
Jul – Sept 2020 | • 5COVER STORY
and society after the lamp lighting ceremony. In addition to
propogating value-based education, AIM for Seva has been
pushing the frontiers with respect to sustainable living and an
organic way of life. We are happy to share that our organic
movement is also growing at the 'grassroots' level. The Kadalur
school has an annual tradition of holding a KG (Kindergarten
food festival). “Many people have forgotten about traditional,
organic and healthy food. Our children have been introduced
to fast food. So we have started to conduct this organic food
festival to create awareness about the benefits of traditional
food among the parents,” state school authorities.
School Educational Facilities
Pedagogy: The Swami Dayananda Rotary Matriculation
Higher Secondary School, Kadalur, Tamil Nadu, follows the
pattern of education of the Board of Matriculation Schools,
Tamil Nadu.
Educational Plus Initiatives: These include programmes such
as Art for Development and Theatre for Development. Such
initiatives help our students gain insights into societal issues
through the medium of art and theatre.
Sports: Our students are regular participants in handball,
kabaddi and athletics at the zonal and district levels. In 2018,
the boys as well girls in the junior (U 14) category were placed
first in the zonal level handball games.
Clubs: The school had several clubs to enable students to hone
their skills. These include the math club, science club and Tamil
club to name a few. By being part of such clubs, our students
develop critical life skills such as public speaking through
projects and experiments. They also get a richer understanding
of the world of numbers and the behaviour of the physical and
natural world via observation.
School Infrastructure
• Well stocked library
• Smart board enabled classrooms
• Spacious playground
• Values of community service imparted through Junior
Red Cross
our students studying in the institution early this year. The • Well equipped laboratories
Hayagreeva Prithi Homam was conducted successfully at the
school premises. As per the Sanatana Dharma tradition, Lord Parting Shot
Hayagreeva is an avatar of Lord Vishnu who is worshipped as The final word comes from a stakeholder who has been
the God of knowledge and wisdom. associated with the school for a long time now. “This school
At the first farewell for Class 10 and 12 students held early this has come a long way from the time I joined it. Be it the school
year, the outgoing students took a pledge to lead a harmonious strength, extracurricular activities and external competitions,
and a socially productive life and serve the interests of family there has been a growth in all directions. Most of the students
6• | Jul – Sept 2020studying in this institution are children of fishermen. The
students practice yoga once a week. There is a lot of focus
on reading based activities to remove stage fear that maybe
experienced by such students,” Ms. Suguna Bhaskar, a
teacher said.
For an ordinary man, Kadalur appears to be a dot on the
Indian map, located 83 km from Chennai, capital of Tamil
Nadu. But to the parents and guardians of the students,
Kadalur is their heart and the school, a hope for a better future.
Swami Dayananda Vidyasramam Nursery & Primary
School, Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu
Located 236 km away from Kadalur is another primary
school run by AIM for Seva. Started in 2015, the Swami
Dayananda Vidyasramam Nursery & Primary School,
Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu, provides quality education to
students living in the region.
The school is sought after in the region as it differs in its
pedagogy. The institution advocates value-based education
that fosters all-round development.
School Snapshot—2019-2020
Classes : KG to 5
Number of Students : 243
Girls : 98
Boys : 145
No of Villages they come from : 40
School Correspondent : Swamini Visvapriyananda
Saraswati ji
Jul – Sept 2020 | • 7COVER STORY
School Infrastructure
Our educational intervention in the region has caught
the eye of India Inc. Around three years back, the foundation
arm of information technology bellwether, Cognizant
Technologies came forward and gave financial assistance
worth Rs. 10 lakh for setting up of a computer laboratory
at the Dharmapuri school. In addition, Cognizant
Foundation also donated classroom furniture with Dr. S.
Ramamurthy, Founder Director, Cognizant Foundation
spearheading the entire project. Dr. S. Ramamurthy who
died recently was an economist of repute and was also
known to support various social causes.
Cultural Day Celebrations
The fourth cultural day and prize distribution
programme of the Swami Dayananda Vidyasramam
Nursery & Primary School, Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu, was
celebrated on 8 April 2019. The celebrations commenced
with the school correspondent, Swamini Visvapriyananda
Saraswati ji, lighting the lamp and paying floral tributes
to Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati. A series of cultural
programmes followed.
At the end of the programme, the Chief Guest for the
function, Dr. K. Ravichandren, principal, Bharat Ratna
Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G.R Govt. Arts and Science
College, Palacode, Tamil Nadu, addressed the students and
parents.
The Chief Guest and school academic counselor, Sri.
M. Pandurangan ji, advised our students to participate
in all cultural activities and improve their life skills, and
requested the parents to encourage their children. He
appealed to the parents and public to support the school’s
activities.
Republic Day and Sports Day
Republic Day was celebrated in the school campus by
hoisting of the national tricolour.
The students participated in Sports Day celebrations
held in the school premises.
8• | Jul – Sept 2020IN LOVING MEMORY
Swami Pratyagbodhananda Saraswati ji attained Mahasamadhi
on 20th September 2020 at USA at the age of 70. He had a massive
heart attack.
Swamiji was born on 20th October 1950 at Gujarat. His
purvasrama name was Nitin. He did the second long term course at
Sandeepany Sadanalaya, Chinmaya Mission, Mumbai during 1976-
1978. His Brahmachari diksha name was Nityabodha Chaitanya.
He was given Sannyasa diksha on 2nd March 1992 by Pujya Swami
Dayananda Saraswati.
Swamiji was teaching Vedanta for the past 30 years at Surat,
Gujarat under the auspices of Viswa-Mangalam Trust. He was also
Vice President of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Saylorsburg, USA.
Swamiji had given lectures in many places in North America.
Swamiji taught in English, Gujarati and Hindi. He taught
Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Panchadasi and other vedantic texts. He
also gave lectures on Tulsi Ramayana and Bhagavata Purana, which
were soaked in devotion. Swamiji had extensive satsangh with Swami
Akhandananda Saraswati of Brindavan, which made his Bhagavata
lectures reflect great Krishna bakthi.
Swamiji was very simple and easy to approach. He was loved
by everyone who had come into contact with him. Swamiji was
affectionate to everybody. He was so generous in his kindness.
Arsha Vidya Research and Publication Trust offers shraddanjali
to this great Vedanta Acarya. Swamiji had come to Manjakkudi in
December 2019 to conduct a Vedanta camp at Jnana Pravaha, a
week-long retreat for a group of 47 devotees from Surat. Swamiji
also visited all seva activities in the village and recalled his memories
with Pujya Swamiji and blessed us all.
The classes took place at Jnana Pravaha lecture hall. The unique
structure of the retreat was that the classes were embedded in a
schedule wherein the day began with Pancaayatana Puja conducted
by priests from Patashala for the shrine which the Swamiji’s
purvasrama sister Swamini Vibhavananda ji brought along. Before
the puja, individual members had their own meditation at Pujya
Swamiji’s shrine attached to Jnana Pravaha meditation hall.
Just hours before his Samadhi, Swamiji received the latest book
on Pujya Swamiji’s talks on Sri Dakshinamurti Stotram at the Arsha
Vidya Gurukulam’s 34th anniversary function at Saylorsburg, USA.
We feel blessed that he has carried our pranams to Pujya Swamiji
with him.
OM SHANTIH SHANTIH SHANTIH
Jul – Sept 2020 | • 9ACADEMIC SPOTLIGHT
Corona Crushers
O
ver 90% students studying across AIM for Seva’s 104 Chatralayams are first generation
learners. During 2019-2020, 4001 students from 16 states and 2,700 villages benefited
from AIM for Seva’s holistic educational intervention i.e. Chatralayam. This in turn, has
positively impacted the lives of 11,50,000 families every year.
In this section, we share short snapshots of some of our students’ achievements.
Results Round-Up 2019-2020
Chatralayam
Class 10
343 students appeared for the examinations
Class 12
97 students appeared for the examinations
Pass rate Pass rate
92% 97%
Outstanding Outstanding
9% 2%
Distinction Distinction
19% 10%
1st Class 1st Class
38% 47%
10 • | Jul – Sept 2020Educational Institutions
Class 10
Semmangudi High. Sec. School
Sembangudi, Tamil Nadu
Pass Percentage : 100%
School 1st Mark : 95%
Class 12
Swami Dayananda Mat. High. Sec. School
Manjakkudi, Tamil Nadu
Pass Percentage : 100%
Semmangudi High. Sec. School
School 1st Mark : 97%
Sembangudi, Tamil Nadu
Pass Percentage : 93%
Swami Dayananda Rotary Mat. High. Sec.
School Kadalur, Tamil Nadu School 1st Mark : 88%
Pass Percentage : 100%
Swami Dayananda Mat. High. Sec. School
School 1st Mark : 98%
Manjakkudi, Tamil Nadu
Pass Percentage : 100%
Inder & Prabha Sharma Girls High. Sec. School
Khategaon, Madhya Pradesh School 1st Mark : 90%
Pass Percentage : 100%
Swami Dayananda Rotary Mat. High. Sec. School
School 1st Mark : 98.5%
Kadalur, Tamil Nadu
Pass Percentage : 100%
School 1st Mark : 90%
Inder & Prabha Sharma Girls High. Sec. School
Khategaon, Madhya Pradesh
Pass Percentage : 100%
School 1st Mark : 88%
Jul – Sept 2020 | • 11ACADEMIC SPOTLIGHT
CLASS 12
CHATRALAYAM TOPPERS AND ACHIEVERS
KARNATAKA TAMIL NADU
Name of Student:
Vijayakumar G. Biradar Name of Student:
L. Divya
Name of Chatralayam:
Jaya Smrithi Dhama AIM Name of Chatralayam:
for Seva Chatralayam for Atmalaya Swami
Boys, Udupi Dayananda AIM for Seva
Chatralayam for Girls,
Achievement: Udumalpet
School Topper
(Science Stream) Achievement:
School Topper
“AIM for Seva has given me
a good foundation and I was
constantly encouraged to study. “I did not show that much sincerity towards studies
Apart from getting an opportunity initially. But then Mataji ( the coordinator of the
to study in an English medium Udumalpet Chatralayam, Swamini Gurupriyananda
school in close vicinity to the Saraswati ji) reminded me that if I had to reach to
hostel, I was also taught chanting, the top, then it was important to do sacrifices. At
slokas and meanings of verses from the beginning of the academic year, I took a pledge
the Bhagavad Gita while living out that I wanted to come first and to achieve that target,
there. Our hostel coordinator also I stopped watching movies as three hours of your
told many moral stories and we precious time got wasted every time you watched
were exposed to outdoor activities one. Watching movies was time pass and you did
and games.” not learn anything from it. I was able to answer all
the tough questions during the school half yearly in
comparison to other students because Mataji ensured
we got sample question papers from Palacode. This
helped me immensely during my daily revision.”
12 • | Jul – Sept 2020Name of Student:
M. Krishnaveni
Name of Chatralayam:
Emirates AIM for
Seva Chatralayam
for Girls, Dharmapuri
Achievement:
First student from her
village (Irulapatti) to
complete Class 12
“I am from the Irular community (an ethnic
group inhabiting areas in Tamil Nadu and
Kerala) and no one from my village has studied
till Class 12. There are a few people who have Name of Student:
studied till Class 10. My teachers taught me well
so I passed the board examination.”
M. Gopi
Name of Chatralayam:
S. Viswanathan Memorial
AIM for Seva Chatralayam
CLASS 11 for Boys, Sriperumbudur
CHATRALAYAM TOPPERS AND ACHIEVERS
Achievement:
School 2nd
Name of Student:
R. Purushothaman
Name of Chatralayam:
Name of Student:
S. Viswanathan Memorial S. Akilandeswari
AIM for Seva Chatralayam
for Boys, Sriperumbudur Name of Chatralayam:
Atmalaya Swami
Achievement:
Dayananda AIM for Seva
School Topper Chatralayam for Girls,
Udumalpet
Achievement:
School Topper
Jul – Sept 2020 | • 13ACADEMIC SPOTLIGHT
Name of Student:
CLASS 10 S. Logeshwari
CHATRALAYAM TOPPERS AND ACHIEVERS
Name of Chatralayam:
Atmalaya Swami
Dayananda AIM for Seva
Chatralayam for Girls,
Udumalpet
TAMIL NADU Achievement: School 2nd
“The reason for my success is the home where I am
living ( Udumalpet Chatralayam) and our coordinator Maaji
(Swamini Gurupriyananda Saraswati ji). During the half yearly
preparatory leave, my hostel coordinator ensured that I had
Name of Chatralayam:
access to model question papers and also ensured that I had
Swami Dayananda AIM for adequate writing practice. I would have a tendency to leave
Seva Chatralayam for Girls one mark questions. But the model exam practice ensured that
I attempted all questions. Some of the questions in the model
(Junior), Sembangudi papers appeared in the first revision. This enabled me to get 5%
more in the revision exams. I am happy that students like me
Name of Student: have got access to education and other facilities after coming to
the Chatralayam.”
P. Duvaraga
Achievement: RAJASTHAN
School Topper
“I always wanted to study but back home; finances
were a constraint as was food. To fulfill my academic Name of Student:
pursuits, I shifted to the Sembangudi Chatralayam. In
the recently concluded Class 10 board examination, I C. Tulsiram Bhil
scored 474. There was encouragement from all sides.
My teacher told me that I was a bright student and Name of Chatralayam:
if I continued with my studies, I would surely come
first. Similarly, Mataji (Swamini Swaminathapriya ji,
Arsha Vidya Tirtha AIM
my hostel coordinator), also encouraged me to do my for Seva Chatralayam for
best. Also, the hostel environment was conducive and Boys, Jaipur
I got three nutritious meals every day. All this enabled
me to concentrate on my studies. My ambition is to
Achievement:
become an IAS officer. I will continue to study and
score high in the Class 11 and 12 examinations and School Topper
keep my school and Chatralayam’s flag flying high. I “My name is Tulsiram. I study in Class 11 and I recently
am thankful to all my teachers, hostel coordinators passed my Class 10 board examination. I am living and
and others for believing in me and inculcating an studying at the AIM for Seva Chatralaya in Jaipur since the
interest in academics.” last 10 years. My dream is to become an Income Tax officer
after completing my studies.”
14 • | Jul – Sept 2020MADHYA PRADESH
Name of Student:
Name of Student:
Anjali Gurjar
Ajay Mourya
Name of School:
Name of Chatralayam:
Inder & Prabha Sharma
Smt. Jamunabai
Girls Higher Secondary
Chanchlani AIM for Seva
School, Khategaon
Chatralayam for Boys,
Hoshangabad
Achievement:
Achievement: School Topper;
Secured 10th position in
Ranked 2nd at the
the Madhya Pradesh
Hoshangabad District
Level (Science Stream) Merit List
“My academic success is due to my
“AIM for Seva enables you to teachers. Apart from regular school
complete schooling. Not only that, curriculum, my institution also focuses
one is also exposed to cultural on cultural education and I consider
education from an early age.” myself blessed to study in such an
institution that is in close vicinity to
my village and this has enabled me to
complete Class 10. After coming back
home from school, I used to make it a
point to study at least three to four hours
every day. A lot of girls have benefited
from this institution. While some girls
like me come from the nearby villages,
we also have girl students coming in,
enrolling and studying from far off
regions like Tripura and Mizoram (north
east India).”
Jul – Sept 2020 | • 15Thank You to Computer Age Management Services (CAMS)
Computer Age Management Services (CAMS), Chennai,
Our Partners has sanctioned a sum of Rs. 18 lakhs during 2020-2021
towards sponsorship for 50 students. During the second
in Progress quarter ended, 30th September 2020, the company
released the first instalment of Rs. 9 lakhs.
Our journey to educate rural India has been
possible due to the support of countless individuals
in addition to corporates, foundations and trusts who
believe in our vision and mission.
At our end, we have put systems and processes in
place to ensure that our administrative overheads are Indraprastha Gas Limited
kept remarkably low, below 10% of operating costs. Indraprastha Gas Limited, a joint venture between GAIL
This has led to a deeper and wider impact with 90% and Bharat Petroleum continues to support our students
or more of all donations received being channeled at the Swami Dayananda AIM for Seva Chatralayam for
directly to our projects at the grassroots level. Boys, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. T he company which had
This listing below of individual donors is by no committed a sum of Rs. 8.4 lakhs last fiscal disbursed the
means exhaustive and we take this opportunity to final amount totaling Rs. 1.68 lakhs during the quarter ended
express our gratitude to all our well wishers, donors, 30th September 2020.
volunteers and other coordinators and field staff
without whose support we would not have been able
to reach thus far.
* Sri. Ramesh Sankaran, Chennai
* Dr. Bagyam Raghavan, Chennai Sundaram Finance Limited
* Sri. Gopal Srinivasan and family, Chennai A regular donor to AIM for Seva, Chennai headquartered
* Sri. Subramanian Sundaresan, Chennai NBFC (non banking finance company), Sundaram Finance,
* Ms. Vidya Nagarajan, Chennai has donated a sum of Rs. 5 lakhs towards student sponsorships.
* Ms. Meera Chari, Chennai
* Smt. and Sri. T. Ananthachari, Chennai
* Sri. S.M. Chickermane, Bangalore
* Sri. N. Sridharan, Bangalore
* Sri. N. Veeraraghavan, Chennai
Turbo Energy Private Limited
* Sri. Vinod Vetri Iyer, Chennai
* Sri. R.K.Shankar, Chennai A leading name in the manufacturing of turbochargers,
* Sri. Sridhar Ramanathan, Bangalore Turbo Energy Private Limited, has donated a sum of
Rs. 50,000 towards student sponsorships.
* Dr. T.K. Jayaraman, Chennai
* Smt. Gayathre Rajam, Chennai
* Ms. Alarmel Valli, Chennai
* Sri. N. Jayakumar Ganapathi, Singapore
* Sri. N. Girish Kumar, Singapore
* Sri. Gagan Gupta, Hyderabad ABI-Showatech India Private Limited
A leading manufacturer of automotive and aerospace
parts components, ABI-Showatech, has donated a sum of
Rs. 50,000 towards student sponsorships.
16 • | Jul – Sept 2020Virtual Walkathon:
Dipak & Rupa Sood Education Trust, New Delhi All for a Cause
Based out of the national capital, Dipak & Rupa Sood
Education Trust has come forward to donate a sum of Rs. 3
lakhs towards student sponsorships.
Kodamurti Krishna Rajagopal Trust, Chennai
The Chennai based Kodamurti Krishna Rajagopal Trust has
come forward and donated a sum of Rs. 1,22,462 towards
student sponsorships for the students living and studying at
the Bragathsundara Kujambal AIM for Seva Chatralayam for
Boys, Thiruvidaimarudur, Tamil Nadu, during the second
quarter of the current fiscal. Kodamurti Krishna Rajagopal
Trust has been a long time supporter of AIM for Seva.
Ms. Jayashree Suresh Parekh, Chennai
Ms. Jayashree Suresh Parekh from Chennai has come
forward and donated a sum of Rs. 1 lakh towards student
sponsorships.
Dr. D.R. Saini, Pune
Pune based Dr. D.R. Saini has donated a sum of Rs.1 lakh as
educational expenses for students during the July-September
2020 quarter.
G. Harish Narayanan, Singapore With the pandemic refusing to fade way, virtual and digital
is the new way of life. Be it zoom calls, online classrooms or
Singapore based Sri. G. Harish Narayanan has transferred virtual concerts, e-meeting your colleagues, classmates and
a sum of Rs. 50,000 towards Annadanam for our students audience is the new normal. And when people get together
residing at the Madhu & Rajkumar Nigam AIM for Seva for a fitness initiative to support a cause like educating rural
Chatralayam for Girls, Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, and Bhavani India, such fund raisers leave a deeper impact in the minds of
Arun AIM for Seva Chatralayam for Girls, Chinnasalem, all stakeholders.
Tamil Nadu, in remembrance of his father and wife. AIM for Seva USA team completed a Good Karma 5k
(run/walk,) a couple of months back. This virtual walkathon
5th Aradhana Samarpanam saw participation of 1,357 people from across the country.
(See Box: AIM for Seva USA Chapter wise Participation).
The following individuals have donated to AIM for Seva’s
cause of educating rural India during the observance of Participants registered online for a small fee ($25) and then
Pujya Swamiji’s 5th Aradhana— ran/walked/jogged in their own treadmills and neighbouring
parks. Some of the participants made donations to AIM for
Ms. Susanna, Germany — 5000 Euros Seva while some others (small companies) sponsored the event.
Smt Shanthi Krubai, Chennai — Rs. 72,000 The new entrants got an opportunity to witness the good work
Sri. Swaminathan, Chennai — Rs. 18,000 done by AIM for Seva on ground.
What’s heartening is that some of the new members have
expressed an interest in our existing projects.
Jul – Sept 2020 | • 17“All our Chapter Sevaks had been working very hard for
the past six weeks to turn this event into a success. We could
clearly see Pujya Swamiji’s smile and grace flowingthrough all
of us, especially in his 90th Jayanthi and 20th year of Seva
movement,” Srini Raman, Chief Operating Officer, AIM for
Seva, USA said.
AIM for Seva was able to raise $ 25,000 through this event.
“We met our goal of branding, awareness and fundraising
and more importantly, continued with the Seva movement
work,” Srini Raman said. He added that it was encouraging
to see people wanting to do good and feel good amidst the
pandemic situation and other disturbing events taking place in
USA currently.
USA Chapter Wise Participation
Name of Chapter No of Participants
New Jersey 328
Detroit MI 229
Albany NY 216
San Diego CA 152
Hartford CT 65
Knoxville TN 50
Atlanta GA 48
Raleigh NC 47
Orlando FL 30 Another north American chapter, AIM for Seva Canada,
Dallas TX 26 too raised $ 20,000 through a virtual walkathon fundraiser on
31st May 2020.
Chicago IL 24
Walk to Educate, AIM for Seva Canada’s annual walkathon
San Francisco CA 23 went virtual this year. Each of the participating families were
Little Rock AR 19 asked to raise $100 in pledges. “We made this decision to pivot
New York NY 19 from our annual Walk-To-Educate to a new virtual platform
in order to bring our AIM for Seva supporters and the global
Washington DC 16 community together while being sensitive to the current
Austin TX 15 pandemic environment,” stated the organisers.
Boston MA 14 On Sunday, 31st May, over 125 cameras and 400 people
Philadelphia PA 9 took to this new idea and experienced the joy of giving while
participating in a BollyCORE! Session followed by an engaging
Dayton OH 8
game of Bingo.
Seattle WA 7 Amazon gift cards sponsored by Sapna Mehta were awarded
Pittsburgh PA 6 to the top three fundraisers of the day. The highest amount
Fort Meyers FL 2 of $2,290 was raised by 5 and 7-year-old sisters, Simran and
Anisha Subramanian! Sonali Mehta raised the second highest
Elmira NY 1
amount of $1,125, and in third place was Neetee Papneja
Fort Lauderdale FL 1 with $1010. Attendees then had the opportunity to participate
Houston TX 1 in online Bingo and many walked away with Amazon gift
Peoria IL 1 card prizes!
The funds raised by the Movathon 2020 initiative will go
towards educating children from rural and tribal parts of India.
18 • | Jul – Sept 2020CARE IN ACTION
We share some highlights from Swami Dayananda Krupa Care, our special
residential facility for adults (men) with developmental disabilities.
Presentation of citation to
Delphi–TVS Technologies Limited
Since 2010, Delphi-TVS Technologies Limited, at the plant in
Technologies Limited has been Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
a generous supporter to Swami In addition to the citation, senior
Dayananda Krupa Care. officials from AIM for Seva also presented
To express our gratitude two books (part of a series) titled Talks
for their ever-ready willingness and Essays by Pujya Swami Dayananda
to give and gestures of care Saraswati which will be stocked in the
towards the residents of Krupa library at the factory premises. The
Care, senior officials from AIM AIM for Seva team also extended special
for Seva presented Delphi-TVS thanks to Sri. A. Viswanathan, President
Technologies Limited with a – Delphi-TVS Technologies Limited, for
special citation. The citation the support extended by the company
bore an apt saying by Pujya over the last decade. On behalf of Delphi-
Swami Dayananda Saraswati: TVS Technologies Limited, Sri. Kannan
“Danam, giving, is the means Babu expressed deep appreciation of
for growth.” The citation was the gesture and said that they were
presented on 17th August blessed to have been given this
2020 to Sri. Kannan Babu, opportunity to serve.
deputy manager of Delphi-TVS
Independence Day Celebrations
Independence Day at the
Swami Dayananda Krupa
Care was celebrated by
hoisting of the tricolour.
Jul – Sept 2020 | • 19EVENT CORNER 20 • | Jul – Sept 2020
Aradhana 5th
AIM for Seva broadcasted one of Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati’s best talks
ever—Living Versus Getting On—on YouTube on the ocassion of Pujya Swamiji's 5th
Aradhana. In addition,viewers also got a glimpse into the world of Seva—the many
projects initiated by Pujya Swamiji.
P Day One
ujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati attained
Mahasamadhi on 23rd September 2015 on the banks
of the Ganges at the Swami Dayananda Ashram, From Being a Survivor to Becoming a Contributor
Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. A world renowned authority on
The 5th Aradhana began with a three-minute video on
Advaita Vedanta, Swamiji’s empathy extended to all civilisations
Chatralayams, AIM for Seva's flagship project. The viewers
and all cultural forms.
got a peek into the Chatralayam eco-system and during last
As homage to our Founder, AIM for Seva was privileged to year (2019-2020), over 4,000 students from 16 states and
organise the 5th Aradhana function for five days, from 19th 2,700 villages have been beneficiaries of the Chatralayam
September to 23rd September 2020. As part of the tribute, intervention.
AIM for Seva streamed one of Swamiji’s best talks ever—Living
This was followed by Pujya Swamiji explaining what
Versus Getting On—on YouTube. In addition,viewers also got
Bharata Desa Hitaya meant. The rendering of the AIM for
a glimpse into the world of Seva—the many projects initiated
Seva's anthem (Bharata Desa Hitaya) followed. After this, part
by Pujya Swamiji in the fields of rural education, care for the
one of the five part series—Living Versus Getting On—began
differently-abled, integrated community development projects
with Pujya Swamiji starting the session with a small prayer to
and publishing of Vedantic literature and dissemination of the
Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles.
same via Arsha Vidya Research and Publication Trust.
In his talk, Pujya Swamiji got to the point without much
At the time of writing this article, the cumulative viewership
ado. He said that a human being is not just a survivor. “Even a
for the five day 5th Aradhana programme stood at 10,076
mushroom wants to survive but this plant only has a life of two
and counting.
Jul – Sept 2020 | • 21EVENT CORNER
to four days. It comes quickly and dies quickly!” Pujya Swamiji
said that survival meant a few things: air, water, food and shelter
and everything beyond this was a plus, even clothing, unless it
is necessary for protection from the elements. “But we cannot
just live as survivors, to live beyond a survivor is to go beyond
the survivor psyche, I need to become a contributor. When I
contribute something, I move beyond the level of a survivor.”
The Founder of AIM for Seva said that there are varieties
of contribution. “Contribution is not in terms of money
alone. Contribution is to convert another person from the
level of a survivor to that of a contributor and Vedanta does
exactly that.”
Pujya Swamiji then went on to say that among the many AIM for Seva is pleased to share a sample of feedback
danams or contributions, Vidya Danam, the gift of knowledge as received from the viewers.
is considered to be the greatest. “Whether you directly offer Thanks very much for the programme AIM for Seva has put
vidya to another person by teaching a language, a discipline together for Swamiji’s 5th Aradhana. It is a blessing.
of science, or a skill, or indirectly provide a situation for such –Agamananda ji
transference of knowledge to take place, it is a contribution.”
Pranams again and again to Pujya Swamiji.
By educating and caring for children, one ensures they also end
up becoming contributors. –Anantray Acharya
Pujya Swamiji concluded the Day One talk by saying that Hari Om Swamiji. Poorna Vidya Guruve Nama:
to live is to be a positive contributor. “All lifetime, one is a –Ishwara Nanda
consumer. But then, if I have to live my life positively then I
Pranams to Pujya Swamiji. Thanks to all. Most inspiring.
have to cross the line of a survivor, I need to act from a deeper
level, a level which includes not just significant others, but that –Nirmal Gupta
every other person becomes significant. I need to enjoy a depth Namaskarams to Pujya Swamiji. Swamiji we are blessed
within myself from where I respond to the world.” because we heard your voice.
The highlight of the five-day talk was that it was peppered – Students from the
with humour and interesting anecdotes and references in daily Bhavani Arun AIM for Seva Chatralayam for Girls,
living that people could easily relate to. Chinnsalem, Tamil Nadu
Day Two Super command over the language. Fantastic ability to
explain complex topics in the most simple terms to ordinary
A Contributor is Compassionate folks.
The programme commenced with the viewers being given –Krishna Kumar
a virtual tour of Swami Dayananda Krupa Care, a residential
facility for differently-abled men situated in the outskirts of
Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Started in 2010, Swami Dayananda that compassion is human and religion should invoke human
Krupa Care, seeks to provide an answer to the critical compassion and not disturb it.
question—“Who after me?” for parents of special children. An individual is required to have some amount of
After offering prayers to Lord Ganesha, Pujya Swamiji got compassion as only compassionate people can contribute. “A
back to the topic at hand, contribution. “One has to have a compassionate person has a certain inner space that is not
settled level of self reckoning that I am not just a survivor. crowded, pressurised,” stressed Swamiji.
A contributor is always a contributor because it is more a Among values, ahimsa is most exalted, Ahimsa Paramo
recognition about oneself than any given action. It implies a Dharmah (non-injury is the foremost value). The hallmark of
certain degree of compassion.” sannyasa is taking the vow of not causing hurt to any being
Compassion is a dynamic word and in Sanskrit, it is (na himse). Pujya Swamiji then beautifully illustrated with
referred as daya. “This word is generally glossed over but no examples how in competitive societies the goal is to hurt one
other word is as important as this one as it marks the inner another, but in non-competitive Vaidika society, the goal is
growth of a person,” stressed Pujya Swamiji. He went on to add only inner growth.
22 • | Jul – Sept 2020Day Three a dynamic form of ananda, and a compassionate person need
not tell a lie, and does not need to prove himself or herself as
Compassion Evokes the Pleased Self a person.
The third day’s programme began with a glimpse into The quality of compassion needs to be cultivated
Manjakkudi, Pujya Swamiji’s Janmabhoomi. Situated on deliberately and consciously as it can evoke the bigness and
the banks of River Kaveri, Manjakkudi, in Tamil Nadu, has wholeness in a person.
transformed itself into a knowledge and educational hub
over the last decade and half. This has been possible due to Day Five
the efforts of our on ground implementation partner, SDET
(Swami Dayananda Educational Trust). Compassion Brings Caring
Pujya Swamiji began by telling the audience that Lord On the Day Five of the 5th Aradhana, 23rd September 2020,
Ganesha is not confined to any particular form; rather he is the day Pujya Swamiji attained Mahasamadhi, the viewers were
Omkara and is an inspiration for every artist. first transported to the Swami Dayananda Ashram, Rishikesh,
Uttarakhand. The virtual programme began with a homage
Pujya Swamiji explained to the audience that normally you (puja and Mahabhisheka) at Pujya Swamiji’s Adhisthanam at the
don’t have compassion towards somebody when you perceive Ashram. The puja was performed by Swami Sakshatkrtananda
the person as a threat or a competitor to you, but then you cross Saraswati ji, Vice Chairman, Swami Dayananda Ashram,
those barriers and carry out an act of compassion. It is then that Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.
you become a contributor. “It is not what you do, but the level
at which you operate that makes you a contributor.” He added After the puja, there was a book release function with Swami
that it takes honesty to be strong and to be compassionate. Suddhananda Saraswati ji, Chairman, Swami Dayananda
Ashram, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, releasing Sri Dakshinamurti
Also, compassion starts with self-love and that one Stotram. “There cannot be a better place for the release of this
cannot be compassionate to the outside world unless one is book than Pujya Swamiji’s Adhisthanam and there cannot be a
compassionate to oneself. Here Pujya Swamiji highlighted the better person to release the book than Swami Suddhananda ji
role of yoga and how compassion started with caring of one’s who was associated with Pujya Swamiji for over 50 years. This
own body. “Yoga consisting of asanas initially, is good because book was a favourite of Pujya Swamiji. It has been printed very
you begin to care for the body, you have self-love.” nicely and edited by Swami Sankarananda and we can see Pujya
Pujya Swamiji urged the audience to begin with having self- Swamiji all through the pages. The cover page has the stamp
love and self-compassion for the physical body. This self that of Smt. Sheela Balaji (Chairperson and Managing Trustee,
is self-pleased, ananda svarupa, expresses itself as love when AVR and PT)” Swami Sakshatkrtananda Saraswati ji said. The
related to the world. picture gallery in the Satsang Hall was then inaugurated by
Day Four
Swami Suddhananda Saraswati ji.
On the concluding day of the five-day talk series—Living
Compassion is an Important Value to be Versus Getting On—Pujya Swamiji dwelt on inner space. “If
Cultivated one has this space, one can accommodate people and their
limitations. The intelligent way of relating is to discover space
On 22 September 2020 (Day Four of 5th Aradhana), the within, even while relating.”
audience was first presented with a video on Arsha Vidya
“I never saw my mother and father discussing anything.
Research and Publication Trust, the single source of centre of
The same is true with most Indians,“ joked Swamiji. He said
Swamiji’s writings. Started on 21st February 2005, this non-
that it was important to relate to one’s father or mother, one’s
profit charitable organisation is the single-source centre for
son, brother, sister, spouse, children, employer, employee, co-
teaching and publishing Pujya Swamiji’s teachings.
workers and so on. Even though the same person has to relate
Beginning his Day Four talk, Pujya Swamiji highlighted to all these others, there is a relevant change in him as the
the Four Human Ends—Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha, related person changes.”
the four purusarthas. Here purusa means a ‘person’, implying
Swamiji added that I, aham is constant, but the related
both male and female. Pujya Swamiji stressed that these
status ‘I’ assumes should be relevant to the relationship, or
purusarthas need to be understood as the means to achieve
there is a problem. I am a son to my mother and a spouse to
various ends. Pujya Swamiji again dwelt upon the importance
my husband and wife. This status totally changes with each
of the attribute, ahimsa paramo dharmah. “When you follow
role and there should be no hangover.
ahimsa, daya is inevitable because you cannot follow ahimsa
without being compassionate.” He added that compassion is
Jul – Sept 2020 | • 23EVENT CORNER
Pujya Swamiji’s
90th Jayanti
AIM for Seva hosted a two-day virtual programme to
commemorate Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati’s 90th
Jayanti. The programme, held on 8 and 9 August, 2020, was
attended by devotees from across the globe.
The event saw an overwhelming response, with around
1,500 people registering for the event. Around 6,000 people
(and counting) have viewed the first day’s programme (8th
August 2020) and 3,995 people (and counting) have viewed
the second day’s programme (9 August 2020) on YouTube.
On 8 August 2020, the programme began with a special
puja in Manjakkudi, Pujya Swamiji’s Janmabhoomi. The puja
was held at Jnana Pravaha, a living tribute to Pujya Swamiji’s
memory and the continuing tradition of his teachings. At the
Jnana Pravaha, seekers may get immersed in Pujya Swamiji’s
teachings, contemplate and meditate on them in their own
time, and use the resources available to further their knowledge.
The puja was followed by rendering of Dayananda Pancakam
by some young students. Devotees were also shown glimpses of In “Personal Re-Engineering”, Pujya Swamiji touched on
the house where Pujya Swamiji was born. the importance of personal growth. In his characteristically good
Then, the first part of the recording of “Personal Re- humoured style, Pujya Swamiji asked the audience if birthdays
Engineering”, a talk given by Pujya Swamiji in New Delhi warranted celebrations? “If one deliberates inner growth, it
on 17 July 2020, was telecast. This was the first time that the calls for celebrations,” he said. Pujya Swamiji then went on to
recording of this talk was aired on a public forum. The talk was highlight the importance given to age in our tradition. “We
followed by a pictorial tribute that brought together glimpses respect age. Wrinkles are an indication that the person has seen
from Pujya Swamiji’s life and times. many summer and winters. Older women never went in for
On 9 August 2020, the programme began with a face lifts as wrinkles were symbols of inner growth!”
special puja at the Swami Dayananda Ashram in Rishikesh, Pujya Swamiji added that one way of a person becoming
Uttarakhand. The Swami Dayananda Ashram was established more objective was by reducing one’s own subjectivity. “One
by Pujya Swamiji in the early 1960s, when he went and is objective when one addresses problems the way it has to
stayed in Rishikesh to study the Brahmasutras under a be addressed. To become objective, we would first have to re-
traditional teacher of Vedanta. In the Ashram is the majestic engineer ourselves.” He said that knowledge of Vedanta makes
Gangadeeshwara Temple. The lingam in the temple was lifted every person understand oneself, the core person playing
by Pujya Swamiji from the banks of the Ganga and brought different roles in life. Even father, mother, sister, brother,
to the spot where the temple stands today. It was at the Swami employer, employee are only roles played by the basic person.
Dayananda Ashram that Pujya Swamiji attained Mahasamadhi, Taking the role of mother, Swamiji said even though she is
and where his adhishtanam is placed. The puja was conducted the author of the child, she does not know anything about the
by Swami Sakshatkrtananda Saraswati ji, Vice Chairman of the anatomy. That is because all knowledge rests in Ishvara, and
Swami Dayananda Ashram. parents are only associates of Ishvara. Likewise, all other roles
Swami Suddhananda Saraswati ji, Chairman, Swami in life are roles played by the basic person. So, if we know all
Dayananda Ashram joined in the puja vandanam. The knowledge is Ishvara, and we are only playing various roles, we
viewers were also treated to some glimpses of the majestic are being objective.
Ganga. The puja was followed by the second part of Pujya Swamiji then spoke of the next aspect where we can
“Personal Re-Engineering”. grow: Procrastination, or the tendancy to delay or postpone
24 • | Jul – Sept 2020an action because it is difficult. “We all have this tendency
to procrastinate. I have to do this. I will do it tomorrow. But
tomorrow never comes,” he joked. He cautioned everyone
that constant procrastination leads to an impairment of self-
The two-day programme was well received by all
esteem. “It would lead to guilt as the person has not been able
participants, and many people took the time to write to
to live up to their own expectations.” Swamiji said the only
us to share their feedback. We have shared some of these
way to overcome this defect is to deal with the most difficult
comments below:
thing upfront. “When you go to office, take up the most
difficult task first, priortise it. It will be a bit painful at first, “Gurubhyo namaha. Thank you for the two wonderful days of
but once you do it, you will feel a change and not feel guilty bringing the rich moments to us.”
anymore.” Procrastination leads to hurt and guilt and many a – Anuradha Mukundan
good relationship is lost due to procrastination. Swamiji then “Both the days are programmed in a nice way that was pleasing.
talked about one more effective way to grow in any area. He It reflected the mission of Swamiji. Wonderful selection of
said if one wants to be a good swimmer, one has to practise speeches and the method of meditation. Thank You.”
swimming. If one wants to be a good driver, one has to practise
– Professor. Dr. R.Thiagarajan
driving. Likewise, if you want to be a giver, a contributor in
life, you have to start giving. In this context, Pujya Swamiji “Our pranams to the organisers of this Jayanti prayer. Our
quoted a beautiful verse from the Sama Veda. “Setuunshtara….. pranams to Pujiya Swamiji. We are where we are because of
In order to get over adaanam, start giving. The act of giving is Swamiji’s blessing.”
the bridge that will help you become a giver. What is difficult – Sathasivam Govindasamy
to cross is adaanam (incapacity to give is adaanam). By giving,
you learn to give.” Thanks so much for organising this programme. May God
please all for you with the best of Life!”
Pujya Swamiji then talked about how to get over hurt
and guilt from one’s life. In this area, he said that meditation – Atmaprakash Bhaveja
would help. It is possible to keep away hurt and guilt away Hari Om. My salutations to all. Pada Namaskarams to all
for the time being in meditation. At the end of the session, Swamijis and Swaminis. We get solace when we are under
he conducted a Guided Meditation session for all participants the umbrella of our Pujya Swamiji. My sincere gratitude to
(shared with viewers of the programme). Pujya Swamiji told AIM for Seva for bringing us all together. Wishing many more
the audience that this type of Meditation should be followed events.”
every day, preferably when the day’s activities are over. – Narasimhan Lakshmi Pingali
Jul – Sept 2020 | • 25EVENT CORNER
For good health at all times
DR PARTHASARTHY. R Founder’s Day
Celebrations
Director and Chief Vaidya of Swami Dayananda Jayavarthanevelu Ayurvedalaya,
Coimbatore, India
This is the time when everyone is searching for “Immunity” which is the
one and only proven solution to escape from this Covid-19 pandemic. 15th August is synonymous with Independence Day
Fortunately, Ayurveda has time tested and practical solutions in
abundance to achieve the ideal immunity.
in India. For the AIM for Seva family, 15th August also
symbolises the birth date of our Founder, Pujya Swami
Dayananda Saraswati. A globally renowned spiritual teacher
Healthy Living
and master, Pujya Swamiji’s influence on the world stage has
been enormous.
Pujya Swamiji did not confine himself to just Vedanta and
With everyone anxiously awaiting a medicinal remedy to his benevolence and empathy extended to all civilisations and
counteract Covid-19, prevention is better than cure and this all cultural forms that helped bring positive change in the lives
aspect is the hallmark of traditional medicine systems such as of thousands of people. He strove to preserve, nurture and
Ayurveda. appreciate the diversity of human culture.
Sometime back, AIM for Seva USA, held a webinar on This year also marks Pujya Swamiji’s 90 Jayanti. AIM for
‘Ayurveda and Immunity—For Good health at all Times.’ Seva hosted a two day virtual programme to commemorate
The speaker was Dr. Parthasarthy R, Director and Chief Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati’s 90th Jayanti. The
Vaidya, Swami Dayananda Jayavarthanevelu Ayurvedalaya, programme held on 8 and 9 August 2020, was attended by
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. devotees from across the globe.
Dr Parthasarthy dwelt on the three doshas—Vatha, Pitha The event saw an overwhelming response, with around
and Kapa and how it was important to follow a diet and lifestyle 1,500 people registering for the event.
pattern that did not disturb the three doshas. “To have the In addition Pujya Swamiji’s 90th Jayanti was also
doshas in equilibrium, we need to have a proper daily routine commemorated across the AIM for Seva network. At the
as well as seasonal routine. One should wake up 45 minutes Emirates AIM for Seva Chatralayam, Dharmapuri, Tamil
before sun rise (Brahmamuhurtam), exercise in moderation and Nadu, the day commenced with a puja and homam. This
avoid heavy food at night.” was followed by distribution of food packets, bed sheets and
On matters relating to sleep, Ayurveda states that apart from Kabasura Kudineer to 100 senior citizens and Swachh Bharat
the duration (7 to 8 hours), quality of sleep is also important. santitation workers. In all, 500 masks and food packets were
As per the Ayurvedic texts, 10 pm to 2 pm denotes Kali Yama distributed to the people in the vicinity of the Chatralayam.
where melatonin production is at its highest which is crucial to Kabasura Kudineer is a herbal concoction that is
the body repair mechanism. recommended as an anti-viral formulation by the Ministry of
Eat less is the latest fad and Ayurveda has propagated it Ayush, Government of India, for Siddha practitioners who are
much before. “You have to eat half stomach and reserve 25% of treating Covid-19 patients.
the organ for liquids,” said Dr Parthasarthy. Consumption of The programme was sponsored by Dr. Thiyagaseelan , Sri.
non-vegetarian food for nutritional purposes was permissible Sakthivel and Sri. Krishnan, all of whom are local supporters
within the tenets of Ayurveda. and well wishers.
26 • | Jul – Sept 2020A Talk on ‘ISHVARA’
by Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati
like to share Pujya Swamiji’s timeless wisdom from Vedanta
AND with the audience in such troubled times.”
Says Smt. Revathi Ramachandran, Director, Kalakshetra
Saraswati AntarvahIni Foundation, “Saraswati Antarvahini is the creative result
of archaeological, anthropological and cultural findings
by Kalakshetra Foundation articulated through the dance narrative that captures the
pulse of the river that is intertwined with the Indian sub-
continent. AIM for Seva was founded with a cause of
O
n the occasion of Saraswati Puja (25th October promoting society through service. Kalakshetra Foundation
2020), AIM for Seva will be presenting a special is very happy to present excerpts from Saraswati Antarvahini
virtual event in aid of education of the girl student. for the virtual event that is part of the celebrations of AIM
Highlights of this programme include a thought-provoking for Seva’s Saraswati Puja.”
Vedanta lecture by one of the greatest spiritual master of
One-fifth of AIM for Seva’s flagship project Chatralayams
contemporary times, Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati and a
(or free student hostels) are for girls. Through a network of
dance production by Kalakshetra Foundation.
21 Chatralayams across eight states, AIM for Seva has
The programme will begin with the dance production, been helping girls to complete their formal education, gain
‘Saraswati Antarvahini’ by Kalakshetra Foundation. In this economic independence, develop their innate potential and
special dance production, Kalakshetra Foundation brings to fulfil their aspirations. At the Chatralayams, girls receive
life the concept of ‘Saraswati’ – a timeless idea that cannot be uninterrupted access to formal education, after school
captured in a given space. support, uniforms and books, nutritious meals, yoga and
The dance will be followed by a talk by the Founder of extracurricular activities, help with personal grooming and
AIM of Seva. The lecture is from the Vedanta camp held at the hygiene, health check-ups and medical care. All of our
Swami Dayananda Ashram, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, in April services are provided free of cost.
2009 on the text 'Hastamalakiyam'. Through this discourse,
Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati makes one understand that
Programme Details:
Ishvara is not a matter of belief, but a matter of understanding. Log on to: youtube.com/c/aimforsevaindia
Says Smt. Sheela Balaji, Chairperson and Managing Trustee,
AIM for Seva," We would like to reach out through not only
our Founder's vision of empowering rural India but would also
Jul – Sept 2020 | • 27Report Card:
Online Education
on the Banks of the Kaveri
In this section, we share the latest MANJAKKUDI
happenings from our schools and college in Name of Institution
Swami Dayananda Matric Higher Secondary School
Manjakkudi and Sembangudi.
Started in
2006
Classes
KG to 12
C
lose to 3,800 students across 300 villages have benefited
from the teaching provided by our educational No of villages from where the students come from:
institutions in Manjakkudi last year (2019-2020). 60
Over the years, Manjakkudi, a tiny hamlet in Tiruvarur district,
From the academic standpoint, the national lockdown
Tamil Nadu, has transformed itself into a knowledge hub and
occurred end of term when students were preparing for their
the lockdown provided an opportunity to prefix another ‘e’ to
annual examinations. Soon after, the management, principal
this educational zone.
and teaching staff of the school decided to go in for the virtual
When the first national lockdown was announced on 24 classroom model from grades 1 to 12.
March, the academic term at all the educational institutions
During the last week of March, 56% of the school students
managed by SDET (Swami Dayananda Educational Trust)
migrated to the online learning platform. In case of matric and
were drawing to a close. Undeterred by the challenge, the
higher secondary classes, this figure was higher at 80%. And
SDET management with support from the academic staff
what was inspiring was that the lockdown coupled with lack of
decided to go in for tech enabled education to complete the
access to devices such as smart phones, laptops or desktops did
portions.
not deter the students’ spirit of knowledge gaining. What’s even
As the lockdown continued, the management and academic pertinent to note is that these students are sons and daughters
staff decided to make good use of the available technology of farmers who come to the school from the neighbouring 300
and kept the engagement going with student community villages daily.
through innovative programmes on YouTube like Slokam,
As the lockdown continued and the summer break
Ragam and Yogam (at the Swami Dayananda Matric Higher
commenced, engagement with the student community
Secondary School).
continued via YouTube. The school management
We present to you a short report on our online education conceptualised Slokam, Ragam and Yogam module for the
initiatives since March 2020 in the region. benefit of the students.
28 • | Jul – Sept 2020You can also read
