Cover Story : Swamiji and Suruji

Swami Vivekananda inspired the youth and continues to do so. In the same manner, Suriji and his memories will continue to inspire many in service for decades and centuries

T Chakravarthy

I did not have the fortune to be a contemporary of Swami Vivekananda and meet the great patriot saint. This thought has been lingering in my mind and disturbing me, but I was fortunate enough to come into contact with Suriji who was to me a personification of Swami Vivekananda, putting in action the twin ideals of Swamiji ‘renunciation and service’. I feel fondly comfortable in calling him ‘Suriji’, and I trust every reader will feel the same comfort.

Swami Vivekananda’s words inspired me, but I could understand the true meaning of his words and teachings, in letter and spirit, when Suriji quoted and explained them in his lecture and Bauddhik sessions. He used to quote Swami Vivekananda”s words profusely, in any interaction on any subject, on any occasion. He is one of the few persons who had read, reread and assimilated the works of Swamji thoroughly. His reverence for Swamji, in my view, is unmatched. I feel that I am one among the hundreds, who were inspired by Suriji, drawn and directed towards sewa, in various forms. We understood the words of Swamji ‘serve man, serve God’ better when Suriji explained it.

Suriji believed that a person serving others, particularly the downtrodden, should not assume that he is really doing some kind of help to the recipient of the service. Rather, the person so serving should feel happy and grateful that He has given him an opportunity to serve. In this context, Suriji used to quote from Upanishads ‘Atmano mokshartham jagat hithaya cha’.
Suriji is best known for his organisational capabilities, conceptual ideas, meticulous planning, precise and flawless execution. During the year 1975, when Emergency was in force, some important functionaries of RSS had to remain incognito. There was a plan for some of them to meet in Chennai, for three days, to discuss and evolve action required for retaliation and to force revocation of Emergency. I had the opportunity to associate myself in organising the meeting as the venue chosen for the meeting was my home. Arrangements for this meeting required very careful planning. I had to make arrangements for a large number of persons visitig my home, without being noticed. I had the opportunity to be with Suriji at that time. He called and advised me on the subjects of planning the event and carrying it out successfully. The event brought me closer to Suriji.
Suriji, was the guiding force for a small group of persons who conceived the idea of a chain of schools and engaged a few men with energy and commitment, who were till then working for the Vivekananda Rock Memorial project at Kanyakuamri. That was the origin of Vivekananda Educational Society, which had today grown to serve more than 36,000 students. Suriji not only conceived the idea of starting schools, he gave directions and plans on a broad platform for operations, funding, expansion and involving volunteers, defining an appropriate role for donors etc.
He had always considered Vivekananda Educational Society close to his heart and was always available for necessary guidance and assistance. The Society was immensely benefited through his advice when it had to pass though certain critical and turbulent phases in its growth and development. He felt very happy to visit the schools, particularly to address the teachers and parents. He was very much convinced and he believed that those hundreds of teachers in Vivekananda Educational Society were empowered to, and engaged in shaping the future of Bharat. In his advanced age, in spite of his physical difficulties of commuting and poor health, he has been gracing several programmes of Vivekananda Educational Society.
Suriji took pains in identifying tall persons and inviting them to head and guide the sewa activities. Vivekananda Educational Society was fortunate to have been guided by Justice Krishnaswamy Reddy (Retd) as its president for many years. It was Suriji who interacted and convinced Justice Reddy about associating himself with Sangha and later to become president of Vivekananda Educational Society. I was fortunate to be associated with both Suriji and Justice Reddy very closely as an individual and as a functionary of Vivekananda Educational Society and I had the opportunities to listen to each of them talking about the events and circumstances that brought Justice Reddy to take the responsibility as president of Vivekananda Educational Society.
When Vivekananda Educational Society was contemplating to buy a piece of land in a village 40 km away from Chennai for the purpose of starting a Gurukulam residential school, Suriji was taken to see the place and immediately entering the proposed campus, he expressed his satisfaction on the suitability of the place as ‘he could sense many positive vibrations’. Justice Reddy, who visited the place after a few days, too approved the purchase of the property spontaneously after walking a few yards into the
property saying ‘he could feel positive vibrations’. Great men think (feel) alike.
It was Suriji who propelled the idea of a Gurukulam residential school in the name of Swami Vivekananda quoting Swamiji”s words “My idea of education is personal contact with the teacher – Gurugrihavasa. Without the personal life of a teacher there would be no education.” Vivekananda Vidya Kala Ashram, Gurukulam residential school was founded in Sivanvoil village in Tiruvallure District in Tamil Nadu, under the guidance of Suriji and Justice Reddy.
In my view, Swami Vivekananda inspired India, particularly its youth and continues to inspire, even after twelve decades of his Samadhi. In the same manner, Suriji and his memory will continue to inspire those interested in service, for many decades and centuries. I desire that the life and messages of Suriji is chronicled and is available as a valuable guide for the future generations.
(The writer is vice president of Vivekananda
Educational Society, Chennai)