Year-long programmes on Sister Nivedita's 150th birth anniversary

Kolkata: The state government will organise a series of programmes spanning over one year to celebrate the sesquicentennial birth anniversary of Sister Nivedita. The celebration will start on October 23, 2017 and end on October 28, 2018.

This was decided at the meeting of Sister Nivedita's 150th birth anniversary celebration committee. It was presided over by the president of the committee and the state Education minister Partha Chatterjee.

Scholar and essayist Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri, Swami Balabhadrananda, assistant general secretary, Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Swami Subhakarananda, secretary, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira Ekalavya Model Residential School, Jhargram, Namita Roy (Mallick), director Culture and Susanta Chakraborty, joint secretary, Higher Education department attended the meeting.

The committee proposes to install a chair in the name of Sister Nivedita at Diamond Harbour Women's College. The schools will be requested to observe the 150th birth anniversary of Sister Nivedita too. It has been further proposed to organise seminars on the life and work of Sister Nivedita in North Bengal University, Vidyasagar University, Kalyani University and Nivedita College in Daimond Harbour. Essay competition in five languages among the students of schools has been proposed and later a book can be published comprising selected essays. A project or scholarship of the state government can be named after Sister. The committee also proposed installation of a statute of Sister Nivedita at the entrance of Ninedita Bridge.

It may be mentioned that Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is bringing out a commemorative volume on Sister Nivedita. Scholars and monks of RKM and nuns of Sri Sarada Math have contributed in the volume. The book is likely to be published on November 16, the day when Sister Nivedita set up her school at 16 A Bosepara Lane in Baghbazar in presence of Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda.