Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 7 (Representative) Swami Chaitanyananda Swami Maduranand of Vellimalai Sri Vivekananda Ashram in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, has bagged the prestigious ‘Shri Dattopant Thengadi Seva Samman-2023.’ The award, instituted by Dr Mangalam Swaminathan Foundation in the field of Social Science, is being conferred on Swami Chaitanyananda Swami Maduranand for his pioneering social work, promoting education & rural health in Kanya Kumari and all over Tamil Nadu. Vellimalai Sri Vivekananda Ashrama was founded in 1940 by Swami Ambanandaji Maharaj, a disciple of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi of Belur Sri Ramakrishna Math. After Swami Ambanandaji’s ‘Mahasamadhi’ death in 1951, Swami Madhuranandaji became the head of the Ashram. Under his leadership, Ashram expanded its activities in various fields, including Mantra Diksha and Spiritual Retreat (Antar Yogam). Swami Madhuranandaji started these activities in the Kanyakumari district. But currently, the program has spread not only to nearby districts and states but is also making a mark in other countries as well.
In 1984, Hindu Dharma Vidya Peetam was founded to consolidate these activities, which mainly take care of religious preaching and the publication activities of the Ashram. In 1986, Veda Murasu, a Tamil monthly, started to spread the message of Bharat and its culture. A major effort was flood relief in 1993–94. With the financial help from Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, and Ramakrishna Mission, Coimbatore, 70 houses were built and given to the severely affected people all over Kanyakumari district. In 1999, Sri Ramakrishna Seva Sangam was founded in order to streamline and consolidate various social welfare activities such as helping the poor, catering to their education, medical needs, marriage, and other such requirements. The Sangam also renders relief services during natural calamities such as floods, cyclones, and fire. In 2023, the Ashram conducted religious classes for 50,000 students with the involvement of 3,500 teachers.
Annually, training for performing a simple formal puja in temples is offered in a two-day camp at the Ashrama. This training has become so popular that the Government of Sri Lanka has invited Swami Chaitanyanandaji three times to conduct a twelve-day camp among the priests of the village temples there. The award for the year 2023 carries a cash award of Rs one lakh and a Memento and citation in bronze The Foundation is also giving a monthly pension of Rs 2000 each to 51 families in Kerala who are victims of political violence. The project, called Sarvamangalam, was launched on October 12, 2022, by Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan at a grand function in Trivandrum. The annual National Excellence Award ceremony will be held on November 29, 2023, at the Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts, Mandi House, New Delhi, at 5 pm.