We, the Trustees of ‘Vivek Vikas Mission’, can be best introduced as ‘Swami Vivekananda’s Striving Children’. We all have in common, association with the Ramakrishna Math & Mission for more than 15 years, and have worked here as volunteers for sometime. And we have decided and undertaken to try our best to work in line with the Swami’s call to ‘Live for Others’ in our way. Thus, on the 20th December of 2016- Maa Sarada Devi’s Birthday, we came together to form the ‘Vivek Vikas Mission’- A charitable non-profitable, non political, organisation through which we aim to work for the cause of our downtrodden, the poor, the ill literate Children, Mothers, sisters, and brothers. As best as we can!
The Board of Trustees is as follows:
Sri Tapas Nandy- Secretary
Dr. Arup Chattopadhyay- Vice President
Dr. Vidita Ghule – President
Dr.Vidita Ghule. (MBBS-India, MRCOG-UK)
Hari Om!
Hi! I am Vidita, a Medical Doctor by profession, and Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, trained in India and in United Kingdom. In my school days, I came in touch with the Ramakrishna Math & Mission at Nagpur (Maharashtra, India), and started reading Swami Vivekananda and Sri Ramakrishna and Maa Sarada’s literature. Under the loving & inspiring guidance of many senior monks of the Math, my personality was moulded. Swami Vivekananda’s inspiring life and message, particularly touched me and very early on, I had decided to ‘work for Him’! To work for our India and her people. But I had to ‘stand on my own feet first’.
After graduating from Government Medical College, Nagpur (1992 batch), I worked in the National Health Scheme- (aka NHS) in the UK from 2002 to 2012 as a Specialist Registrar. I passed my Membership Exam of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (MRCOG) in the year 2007. This stint helped me to be financially independent, besides the valuable skills and training. I decided to return to India in 2012 to pursue my aim of working for India in India.
Initially, I served in the Charitable Hospital of Advaita Ashrama Mayavati ( Uttarakhand)-under Ramakrishna Math-Belur, between November 2012 to June 2016 on honorarium basis. It was during my stay here, that I met our would be trustees- Dr. Arup, and Tapas Da and during our ‘brain storming sessions in the hills of Himalaya, a foundation of Vivek Vikas Mission Trust were laid.
The resolve to serve in the remote villages of our country and work toward mainly Primary Health Infrastructure and Education- “our way” took firm roots in the village of Khiri (PO Kotulpur, District Bankura of West Bengal) where the people welcomed us with open arms. I will strive to “work as worship’ where there is need and opportunity during the rest of my life.
Dr. Arup Chattopadhyay. (B.D.S)
Namaskar!
I am Arup, a dental doctor by profession. I did my Bachelor’s degree as Dental Surgeon from North Bengal Dental College, Darjeeling in 1996. I first came in contact with the Ramakrishna Mission at Seva Pratisthan in Kolkata where I did my house-officership in 1997.
I am a private Dental Practitioner since then and simultaneously been rendering my services as a dentist in the Dispensary of the Belur Math on voluntary basis at Belur,(Howrah, West Bengal. India) for last 17 years – from year 2000 to present day.
My long coveted wish of ‘working for the society- especially the poor sections in remote villages of India, on a charitable basis’ found its expression in the form of Vivek Vikas Mission.
My mission is, as Swami Vivekananda has said, ‘Be good and help those who are trying to be good!’ Setting up Primary Health Care, including Dental Care and Primary to High School Level Coaching Projects in remote villages, are my two dream projects. I will work towards the Charitable aims and objectives as laid down by the Vivek Vikas Mission throughout my life, as best as I can, that’s my promise to myself.
Sri Tapas Nandy (B. Com Honours)
Namaskar!
I am Tapas, a Commerce graduate from Calcutta University (1991). The ‘Turning Point’ in my life was when I first read the first two volumes of the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda- especially the Karma Yoga and Jnan Yoga- when I was 16. I had resolved to sincerely respond to the Swami’s moto- For liberation of oneself and for the betterment of the world’. I had a lot of family responsibility to shoulder, which led me to serve in the Central Police Organisation from 1998 to 2010. I quit my job with the determination to pursue a higher cause in 2010.
I had an opportunity to serve as a Volunteer in Advaita Ashrama Mayavati of Ramakrishna Math Belur, in Uttarakhand, from 2010 to 2016 during which I first met our would be Trustees of Vivek Vikas Mission! We spontaneously became a group as the same ideas striked the chords of our hearts- “They only live who live for others… & on 20th December 2016- the Birthday of Sri Maa Sarada Devi, Vivek Vikas Mission came into being- by Maa’s blessings! And we are trying to ‘walk the walk’ ever since.
I remain fully committed to the cause of this mission and will serve to the best of my abilities throughout life.
The condition of the poor in our country has not changed much since the time of Swamiji and his ideas on Education are even more relevant toady than ever before. We through this Mission, intend to extend a helping hand to our less privileged children in remote villages on this front. Besides being a Trustee, a Treasurer, my favourite task is Coaching and moral education with emphasis on the life infusing message of Swami Vivekananda, a step towards ‘Rebuilding India’ in the Swami’s words!