It
was 1982. More than eight hundred youth representatives attuned
to the trends of Shri Ramakrishna met for five days at the Eastern
Region Youth Convention at the Ramakrishna Mission Saradapitha,
Belur Math. A few youths, among them a doctor, from North Calcutta
took part in the reading, discourses and speeches at the Convention
on the life and teachings of Shri Ramakrishna-Swami Vivekananda
and concluded with a firm determination.
What
was that determination ? To work, work and work alone! "Let's
start work, now and at once !" But what work ? "Service
to man as worship to God"...."Let the poor and distressed
Indians be our deity". With this guiding principle, village
after village and far off neglected corners of villages where thousands
and millions pass their days half-starved, without a piece of loin
cloth and where even the rudimentary health care could not reach
were to be visited. At the outset, to serve at least once in a week
(on Sundays or holidays) with free medicines from Calcutta; and
above all, villagers themselves should be made conscious of their
own health and hygienic condition around them. Why villages, after
all? Because eighty percent of the total population of the country
still live in neglected villages and that too in a precarious condition.
The 'Mission'
started in right earnest. Limited resources, meagre arrangement
but with undaunted spirit and courage and limitless self-confidence
to go ahead. On the 17th of June, 1983, service started with a cluster
of villages - Maharampur, Siptai, Khanpur, with centre at Gurap
within the District of Hooghly (West Bengal). Every Sunday, the
sacred task of serving the sick, distressed and the needy in those
far off neglected corners of the villages continued with free medicine
by the Doctors and volunteers. As the service progressed, many Doctors
and young men imbued with this spirit of selfless services came
forward voluntarily with their hands of co-operation and thus the
second task of enlisting the support and services of willing hands
started in full swing.
The second
Centre started at Gangadharpur with yet other cluster of villages
near Domjur in the District of Howrah (West Bengal)in February,
1984, and in March, 1985, a Centre in the village of Kalabaru near
Canning in the District of South 24-Parganas (West Bengal) with
a cluster of villages around it was started.
Why these
villages, after all? Only because the services would be extended
in villages Districtwise, and in those villages particularly, as
they were most backward in all respects with extreme ignorance and
poverty but where some local youngmen voluntarily came forward to
join hands with the Sangha.
The news
of this selfless devotion spread far and at the appropriate time
and place, came forward the chief architect of this Sangha - Srimat
Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj of the Ramakrishna Order and it was
owing to his personal effort and guidance a meeting was convened
at the Ramakrishna Mission Saradapitha, Belur Math on the 15th August,
1984. There, a good number of doctors, both male and female, and
young men attended to take the oath to spread the motto of selfless
services among doctors and extend its activities far and wide, more
and more and enlist more doctors for this devoted work.
It was
decided further to associate and seek advice and help from experienced
and senior doctors. Their valuable advice and co-operation would
be of great help to farther the activities of the Sangha. Many
a
reputed and experienced doctors are now already engaged with us.
In another
General Meeting in 1984 at the Ramakrishna Mission Saradapitha Belur
Math, convened and guided by our most respected Swami Smarananandaji
Maharaj, this Sangha was born and chrisiened as "VIVEKANANDA
SWASTHYA SEVA SANGHA" with the mission and motto - 'Service
to man as worship to God'. Adopted in that meeting the Rules and
Regulations of its Constitution and also formed its first Executive
Committee.
The news
of this meeting somehow reached the then President of the Ramakrishna
Order, Srimat Swami Vireswaranandaji Maharaj, the then President
Belur Math who very kindly and generously called for and met in
a discussion with the President and Secretary of the newly formed
Committee of the Vivekananda Swasthya Seva Sangha, welcomed the
formation of the Sangha and its proposed activities - did much more
else for the Vivekananda Swasthya Seva Sangha - unknown to us! And
the work moved on and on, and in full swing.
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