Kadapa, August 3, 2013: Youth should draw inspiration from Swami Vivekananda and shape up their future, Yogi Vemana University Vice-Chancellor B. Shyamsundar said on Friday.

Speaking after flagging off the three-day Swami Vivekananda ratha yatra in Kadapa on the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of the Swamiji at the A.P. residential school on the outskirts of Kadapa, he said parents and teachers should strive to imbibe self-confidence and culture among children. Swami Vivekananda's preachings are relevant to the young as well as elders, he remarked.

The Vice-Chancellor garlanded the statue of Swami Vivekananda on the chariot and gave mangala harathi. The chariot with two lion heads besides a 12-foot statue of Swami Vivekananda with figurines of five horses in the front has the Swaimiji in meditation pose at the rear end. Ramakrishna Mission president Achintyananda Swami, secretary Swami Atmavidananda, Swamijis Premananda and Gnanananda of Chennai, Kadapa Revenue Divisional Officer N. Easwaraiah, Basara Vignana Peetham school correspondent Jithendra also participated. Traditionally dressed children performed Sri Rama Charitha Manas dance ballet, Bharatanatyam, kolatam and chekka bhajana. The ratha yatra proceeded to Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams kalyana mantapam, Krishna circle, Chennur bus stand, Collectorate, Nagarajupet, Koti Reddy circle, Yerramukkapalli, Rajiv Park, SP's camp office, RTC bus stand and Collector's camp office. An exhibition of books published by Ramakrishna Mission on a specially designed vehicle was put up at the residential school, TTD kalyana mantapam and near Kadapa RTC bus stand.

Source: The Hindu, August 3, 2013