By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 27: Marking 125 years since Swami Vivekananda first walked the pines of Shillong, the city on Monday honored the guardians of its living root bridges and its youngest Everest climber, signaling a bridge between century-old spiritual philosophy and modern Khasi resilience.
The event at the Quinton Road campus, which also marked the Foundation Day of the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Cultural Centre, drew an audience of 1,800 students.
Prioritising local contributions, the programme felicitated three individuals for their service to Meghalaya. Hally War was recognized for over 50 years of preserving the state’s traditional living root bridges. Joining him were Rifiness Warjri, the youngest person from the state to scale Mount Everest, and Risingbor Kurkalang, honored for his work in traditional art and craft.
Additionally, Saurabh Kumar Thapa received the Vivekananda Award of Excellence for his service to the institution.
Speaking at the event, High Court of Meghalaya Judge, Justice Hamarsan Singh Thangkhiew, lauded the Centre’s role in guiding youth through educational and cultural initiatives. Ramakrishna Mission Shillong secretary, Swami Hitakamananda, spoke on Vivekananda’s concept of Universal Religion and the importance of respecting all faiths as equal paths to spiritual goals.
The celebrations featured the release of a tri-lingual magazine titled Ka Jingshai – The Light – Jyoti, with content in Khasi, English, and Hindi. Former Chief Secretary DP Wahlang urged students to practice self-discipline, while ICAR-ATARI Director Amulya Kumar Mohanty addressed the gathering on youth contributions to the nation’s progress. The event concluded with cultural performances representing the Northeast and the rest of the country.
