Pure and gentle breeze greets as you step into that compound. Children of 10 to 15 years clad in white kurta and pajama move around the pristine environs dotted with lush green lawns. You see absolute discipline quite uncharacteristic of their age.

Men and women of muscles of iron and nerves of steel radiate calmness, confidence and commitment to scale heights of success. Content parents take pride in joining themselves and their wards at the place. People at the twilight of their lives sit quietly and engage themselves in finding the ultimate Truth. Monks in saffron clothes fill the 8 and a half acre campus busy with the rigorous routines of Ashram. The place is Ramakrishna Math situated in Domalguda and people throng here to undertake wide variety of courses offered at its special division – The Vivekananda Institute of Human Excellence.

The Institute of Excellence was formed in pursuance of the vision of Swami Vivekananda – a great patriot saint of India. Vivekananda said, “We want that education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, intellect is expanded and by which one can stand on one’s own feet.” The Institute was started in the year 2000 to spread such education.

Since its inception the Institute imparted character building, man-making and nation building education to youth, children, teachers, employees, professionals, housewives and many others. A mind boggling number of around 7 lakh have participated in different courses that the Institute offers. Apart from the regular courses, the Institute has planned several special courses on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary celebrations.

Yuva Sangharsh 2012 – a Swami Vivekananda Award for Youth Leadership - will be  conducted for class XI and XII students. Self transformation through Meditation, Communication Skills, Leadership Qualities, Devotional and Instrumental music, Mind Management Techniques, Personality Development Course, Painting and Drawing, Yogasanas, Joy of Meditaion: Theory and Practice, Stress Management are some of the 26 courses that the Institute offers. Swami Bodhamayananda, Director, Vivekanda Institute of Human Excellence explains why the Institute has been a preferred destination for lakhs of people when there are hundreds of such institutions exist outside.

“These are not for just academic excellence programmes. Rather they go into the root of the problem – i.e. character. Swamiji’s message of total transformation is more important than just the roots and branches of reformation”, he asserts.

The Institute offers programmes for people from different walks of life - children, youth, working class, parents etc. The round-the-year programmes are conducted on weekdays, weekends and even in summer. Swami Bodhamayananda says programmes marked for children focus on discipline, values and character.

It will not teach them science but teach them how to think scientifically. Stressing the need of inculcating these fundamental virtues in children, he quotes Swami Vivekananda, “I consider a man great not by his big achievements and platform talks, but by the most common actions he does”. Professionals and youth will have variety of programs that help in mind management, stress management, improving soft skills and interpersonal skills and serving society. Through different programmes parents are motivated to form ‘spiritual families’.

Speaking of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda, Swami Bodhamayananda briefed about the nation-wide activities that the Ramakrishna Math has taken up. The Government of India contributed Rs. 100 crore for the celebrations, he informed. To mark the occasion the Institute plans to establish branches of Vivekananda Institute of Human Excellence in 150 schools and colleges across the State by December 2012. Through the centers’ activities the students will learn mind and self engineering to manage their emotions.

So far, 77 centers – 45 engineering, 25 Degree and PG colleges and 7 schools - have been established, he said. Reminding that India had been the teacher to the whole world, Swami Bodhamayananda lamented that the present generation is ignorant of India’s glorious past. The pursuit for highest knowledge was India’s forte and all the branches of science, technology, art, music are but a by-product of this pursuit.

He quoted Swami Vivekananda, “Men are taught from the childhood that they are weak and sinners. Teach them that they are the sons of immortality.” This is the basic premise on which all the programmes of Human Excellence are designed, he said. “India needs heads to think, hearts to feel and hands to serve.” Swamiji concluded.

Swami Jnandadananda, President Ramakrishna Math, Hyderabad lists the activities like serving free food, giving education to the poor children, free medical services at the dispensary, temple, publication division etc. Swamiji stresses the inclusion of music, singing bhajans, painting, drawing and pottery.

He says the activities will relieve the participants from all tensions, anxieties and worries. The Ramakrishna Math and the Human Excellence in particular, instills confidence among participants with which they can face any challenge life poses and come out of it boldly. “Give me few men and women who are pure and selfless and I shall shake the world”, thundered Swami Vivekananda. A visit to Ramakrishan Math confirms that the great saint’s vision and words are becoming  rophetic.