Birth centenary of former RKM prez Swami Atmasthanandaji observed

kolkata: The birth centenary of Swami Atmasthanandaji, former president of Ramakrishna Math and Mission, was held at Nazrul Mancha on Sunday.

Swami Smaranandaji, president Ramakrishna Math and Mission, inaugurated the programme while Swami Suviranandaji, general secretary, RK Math and Mission spoke at the meeting.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a virtual meeting recollected his long association with Atmasthanandaji Maharaj.

A bright student of Presidency College in Philosophy, Satyakrishna Bhattacharya became Swami Atmasthanandaji after joining Ramakrishna Mission.

He was the student of Professor Radhakrishnan in the post-graduate level in Calcutta University. Later, two of his brothers and a sister joined the Ramakrishna Mission and Sarada Ramakrishna Mission.

While in Rajkot, Narendra Modi came in contact with Maharaj and decided to join the Ramakrishna Mission.

Maharaj sent him to Belur Math where the monks told him that he had a bigger role to play.

Modi kept in touch with Atmasthanandaji and after becoming the Prime Minister he visited the Belur Math and the duo talked in

Gujrati.

The Prime Minister also came to Kolkata to meet the ailing Maharaj in hospital.

As the general secretary of the Order, Atmasthanandaji took active part in rural development.

Swami Suparnanandaji, secretary RKIC, Gol Park, Swami Muktinathanandaji, secretary Ramakrishna Mission, Lucknow, Swamis Bodhsaranandaji and Balabhadranandaji, assistant general secretaries RK Math and Mission spoke on the philosophy of Ma Sarada

and Swami Vivekananda and the significance of Ramakrishna Movement in today's society.

A documentary on Swami Atmasthanandaji, made by Saumitra Mitra, was also screened.

Swami Nikhileshwaranandaji, Justice Indira Banerjee, Dr Gour Das and Dr Bhabotosh Biswas paid rich tributes to Maharaj.