Seminar on ‘Swami Vivekananda: Vision for
Women’s Development’ in Hyderabad
N Nagaraja Rao
Swami Vivekananda showed Hindu Dharma its own radiant self and placed it on the highest pedestal of the World Parliament of Religions. Speaking about Bharat, Swami says that it is a sacred land, a land with a divine purpose. Bharat is the abode of spirituality and introspection. Right from the ancient ages, founders of religious tenets were born here. They satiated the scorched earth with the cooling waters of the Eternal truth – Sanatan Satya. It’s the only land where one can experience not only tolerance but also affection for other religions, said Sushri Nivedita Bhide, vice president of Viveka-nanda Kendra, Kanyakumari. She was speaking at a seminar on ‘Swami Vivekananda: Vision for Women’s Development’ organised in association with G Narayanamma Institution of Technology & Science for Women in Hyderabad on September 27.
Dr Meena R Chandrawarkar said Swami Vivekananda gave a message of spiritual unity to the world and emphasised that along with spiritual progress, materialistic / worldly progress was equally important.
Welcoming the gathering, Prof Indira Parthsaradhi said Swami Vivekananda envisaged a society that guarantees equal rights for both men and women and “the best thermometer to the progress of a nation is the best treatment of its women.”
Pravrajika Atandraprana Mataji who attended the meet as chief guest hoped that new cycle must see the masses living vendanta and this will have to come through women. “Soul has no sex, it is neither male nor female. It is only in the body that sex exists, and the man who desires to reach the spirit cannot hold sex distinctions, at the same time, she added.
Prof Vasudhan Kamat of SNDT Women’s University Mumbai said “an enlightened woman is a source of infinite strength”. He said SNDT Women’s University is the first women’s university in India as well as in South-East Asia. The University was founded by Maharshi Dr. Dhondo Keshav Karve in 1916 for a noble cause of women’s Education. SNDT Women’s University is committed to the cause of women’s empowerment through access of them to education, particularly higher education. A book authored by Mrs Susheela Somaraju, a noted industrialist and social worker titled Hindu Kutumbha Vyavastha in Telugu was released on the occasion by Pujya Mataji of the Sharada Mutt Kolkatta.
Mr Uma Maheshwar Rao IAS (retd) general secretary of celebrations committee and Shri P Subba Reddy representative and Shri G Pulla Reddy also spoke on this occassion.
