Shillong plays host to International Youth Camp
SHILLONG: Governor Dr. KK Paul on Tuesday, while inaugurating an international youth camp to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda at the campus of Sri Aurobindo Institute of Indian Culture said that Vivekananda has been the best known icon for youth.
“Most of the problem that the youths are facing today is due to their secret fear to face the unknown, struggle, competition, frustration and failure. You are in a fortunate stage of life now and it is here when you have to shoulder responsibilities, as adults,” he told the visiting youths from different parts of India and Southeast Asian countries, while advising the youth to inculcate a spirit of adventure while facing challenges.
Speaking on Swami Vivekananda’s vision for aiming for the highest, the Governor said that the youth are a group of diverse possibilities but they are vulnerable to brainwashes and become burden to the society due to this.
“They can make enormous progress if they are channelized in the right direction. The goal should be always to create a consensus and each individual is given a right vision for the future so that this order brings among the culture and communities together through education,” he said.
He further added that education is not serving the real need if it does not meet the aspirations of the common mass or if there is no philanthropic side to it.
“The real education is that which enables one to understand one’s own life essentially to focus on morality and value system so that it can serve as a bulwark against commercialism and consumerism – that is fostering superficiality, false values etc., in the society,” he said.
He concluded by saying that trade and investment protocol and bilateral relationship through tourism, culture, research etc., is the need of the hour. “In the long run, we have to have proper infrastructures in place so that these trade is highlighted in the form of a trade fair similar to the International Trade Fair Complex in New Delhi,” he said.
Chairman of the State Planning Board and former Chief Minister, SC Marak, said that the nation is going through a difficult phase and what Vivekananda said about 100 years ago is still relevant today.
“He believed that the future of a nation lies in the hands of the youth,” Marak said. The former Chief Minister pointed out that Vivekananda, during his visit to Shillong in 1901, had prophesized “Sun of new India will rise from the East.”
Marak also stressed on an education system with spiritual tradition and latest advancement in Science and technology.
Former parliamentarian from Shillong, Dr BB Dutta, said that ‘when we talk of civilization, every civilization is working in the Northeastern region and there is a need to support and strengthen this confluence of the current and cross-current controls’.
“This is an initiative taken by the Asian Confluence through the celebration of Vivekananda’s 150th birth anniversary because he has given a steering message to the youth,” Dr Dutta, said, adding “On this theme we are bringing forth the strength and power of the Indic Civilization to the present generation.” Former NEC member, PP Shrivastav, said, “Vivekananda is the most brilliant youth leader of the world, a thinker and achiever and this has been supported by all others.
“Materialism progress without spirituality will lead us to destruction and the West has proved that. The youth has to understand the past and look at the future and look at the present and plan for the future. The days in the West has reached the apex and see the first sign of downfall is the economic slowness,” he said.
“There is truthfulness among communities first of all and that is also seen here the art of reaching is a unanimous decision. The interest of the community is far more important than the interest of the individual and we have to adopt and adept for our rise,” he said.
Dr Balasubramanium, founder, Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement, and Professor, Cornell University, USA and Adjunct Professor, University of Iowa, USA, gave a keynote address on the occasion.
Cultural programmes by Hojagiri dance troupe from Tripura and dances of Meghalaya were also presented in the function compered by Sadhna Shrivastav.
Others who spoke at the function included Rangan Dutta, Ex-Director and General Secretary, Govt. of India, followed by N Munish Singh, Regional Officer, ICCR.