The Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama is situated within the Fort area of Belgaum. The city with a population of nearly 500,000 is a district headquarters and well known for its large number of schools and educational institutions. With its many colleges offering graduate courses in arts, commerce and pure science, engineering courses and medical schools, the city attracts a large number of students from nearby areas and also from other parts of the state and country. However, a majority of these institutions of higher education are run by private institutions or educational trusts. The cost of education is rising due to this.
Although the facilities for higher education are a concern it is more so at the primary level, especially in the rural areas of the district and peripheral areas of the city of Belgaum. Much of the population of these regions being economically backward cannot afford private schooling for their children. As such these children attend the government schools or aided or private schools nearest to them where they are provided free or almost free education. The facilities at these schools especially the infrastructure availability, is very limited.
It is a reflection of the situation in the region of North Karnataka, an area of the State of Karnataka with a larger section of the economically backward. Development programmes in this region over the years have not been many. The programmes that have come by have also not had the desired effect.
THE ORGANIZATION
The Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama at Belgaum is a branch centre of the Ramakrishna Mission, P.O. Belur Math, Dist. Howrah – 711202, West Bengal – an organization with 123 centres in India & 39 centres abroad (as on March 2006). This centre was started in June 2000 at the very house where Swami Vivekananda had stayed for 9 days in October 1892, during his visit to Belgaum. This house and the surrounding plot were gifted by the Government of Karnataka in June 2000.
It took about 4 years for the centre to obtain an area of land to establish the infrastructure for the Ashrama and the monastic inmates. In January 2004, a Universal Temple of Sri Ramakrishna was consecrated at the Ashrama. It was now possible for the Ashrama to initiate a few social activities. A number of student related activities were taken up in addition to those aimed at the poor.
Personality Development classes
These classes are being held for high school and college students to help focus on important areas not covered by their curriculum. These are being held both at the Ashrama and also by visiting various colleges and schools. Book exhibitions containing simple books for students to help inspire them and provide them with tips on concentration, right forms of study, right habits, etc. These exhibitions are organized regularly at schools and colleges across the district in various taluks and villages.
Scholarships for poor and needy Students
A corpus has been created through funds raised from wellwishers to provide scholarships to meritorious and poor students. In the last financial year, about Rs.500,000/- was distributed to nearly 200 students. It is our endeavour to increase this corpus so as provide for more scholarships through the interest received on the corpus.
Milk Distribution & other activities
Milk is being distributed every evening to 100 poor children from two primary schools near the Ashrama. Distribution of notebooks, stationery, clothes – Every year we have been distributing these items to about 1000 poor school children from the rural areas to help them with their studies. Blankets, saree, dhoti distribution – Nearly 500-1000 poor people receive blankets, sarees or dhotis every year from the Ashrama.
Further a recent decision taken by the Government of Karnataka to grant on lease another 2.6 acres of land allows the Mission to take up more activities.
