SHILLONG: The outgoing secretary of Ramakrishna Mission (RKM), Shillong, Swami Achyuteshananda Maharaj, also known as Girija Maharaj, will be remembered for his novel initiatives in various fields.
Girija Maharaj, who joined the Ramakrishna Order in 1986 at the Ramakrishna Math and Mission in Bhubaneswar, transformed the Ramakrishna Vivekananda Cultural Centre in the city from a small library and a weekly dispensary to a vibrant youth centre.
Tribal students who are taking computer education have to mandatorily undergo Hindi language course free of cost and the non-tribal students have to learn Khasi on the other hand.
This “reciprocal idea” is to help students to communicate, acclimatise and appreciate the values of other culture. Achyuteshananda’s idea has earned appreciation from the state government too.
Among the rural development project that he started is one where food is provided to rural students against education. Expressing his regret that the project is “still not clicking” due to apprehensions among rural masses, he said it is underway and awareness is being created about the noble intention behind it.
One of the most sought after issue, undertaken by him during his tenure here, on which public sentiments are high is the Laban House where Swami Vivekananda stayed in 1901 during his visit here.
Swami Achyuteshananda said there are two litigants to this case, out of which, one is here and the other is absconding, as per law. The absconder has been issued a third notice in the recent past to reply on the matter.
Regarding the renaming of a city based road in the name of the philanthropic organisation, which was proposed by Urban Affairs Minister RV Lyngdoh during a function at RKMVCC in the recent past, he said a memorandum has been submitted in this regard to the concerned authorities and the president of the committee of RKM, Shillong, has been assigned the task.
The outgoing secretary said that he is hopeful that both the road renaming and Laban House matter will be resolved and informed that he has been assigned the authority to look into the latter case by the Headquarters at Belur Math.
To another query, Girija Maharaj said “vertical” and “horizontal” growth has taken place in the state through the RKM Centres at Shella, Cherrapunjee, Shillong and the one at Zekabari in Tura, which will be affiliated to RKM, Belur Math.
