Sister Nivedita’s year long 150th birth anniversary programme begins

The state government will chalk out a year-long programme to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Sister Nivedita Partha Chatterjee inaugurated the beginning of the 150th birth anniversary celebration at Sisir Mancha on Friday morning.

The state government has set up a committee to chalk out the programme.

Chatterjee narrated how the Chief Minister had acquired the house where Nivedita lived on Bosepara Lane.

After attending a programme in North Kolkata, Banerjee along with Chatterjee went to the house and talked to the tenants.

She took the initiative, rehabilitated the tenants and finally acquired the building. Similarly she acquired Roy Villa in Darjeeling where Nivedita died on October 13, 1911.

Banerjee later gave Rs 1 crore to Ramakrishna Mission to develop the centre.

Chatterjee recalled his days as a student of Narendrapur Ramakrishna Mission where along the portraits of Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother and Swamiji Sister’s potrait was also put up.

Her role in Indian freedom struggle one cannot forget.

Swami Nityamuktananda, president Ramakrishna Math Bagbazar said Nivedita had played a major role in combating plague that broke out in North Kolkata.

Nivedita stayed in that house on Bosepara Lane and served the slum dwellers who the people had neglected. She wrote articles in different newspapers to draw the attention of British administration.

Nivedita as the first European to set up a school for girls coming from middle class families. People had initially refused to send their daughters to her school.

But they put the criticisms aside when she went ahead with her mission.

A programme was held at Nivedita’s house on Bosepara Lane. The house is being thoroughly repaired. A museum will come up at the house.

Functions were held throughout the country. A programme was held in Dungannon in Ireland where she was born on this day in 1867.

Nivedita was very close to Jagadish Bose and helped him set up Bose Institute.