‘His mantra was to worship the poor’

Dharamsala, June 13

The three-day national seminar on “Modern Society- Direction and Challenges: Aspiring Responses from Swami Vivekananda” organised by the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP), concluded here on Wednesday.

The programme was presided over by the Vice-Chancellor of the Central University, Prof Sat Prakash Bansal. Regional Director of Indian Institute of Mass Communication (Jammu) Kismat Kumar and Prof Anil Saumitra presented their views as keynote speakers. Head of the Sociology and Social Anthropology Departments Prof Anil Kumar delivered the welcome address.

In his presidential address, Vice-Chancellor Sat Prakash Bansal said in present India, “we need to follow the ancient Indian sacraments”. Anil Saumitra said it was necessary that Swami Vivekananda’s thoughts were accepted in the intellectual circles.

Well-known social thinker Arun Jain said the mantra of Swami Vivekananda was to worship the unhappy and poor people.

While delivering the vote of thanks, seminar convener Dr Gireesh Gaurav expressed his gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor and his team for the successful organisation of the programme.

In the three panel discussions held before the closing session, Nivedita Bhide of Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari, Swami Divyasudhanand Maharaj of Ramakrishna Math and renowned scholar Prof Anand Kumar also expressed their views. In this discussion, Vice President of Haryana Literature and Culture Academy and former Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Kuldeep Chand Agnihotri, said, “Travelling makes the world a family. Happiness and sorrow are governed by our values.”