Under the guidance of Chinmaya Seva Trust Kerala, a Bala Vihar Sevak Training Camp was successfully conducted at Alappuzha from 29 to 31 March 2025. The camp was a vibrant and energetic three-day event filled with positivity, learning and coordination.

Inauguration Ceremony

The camp was inaugurated by Swami Viviktananda, who graced the occasion by lighting the ceremonial lamp. His presence set a deeply inspiring tone for the entire programme.

Sessions and Activities

A series of enriching sessions were conducted by esteemed speakers including Swami Abhayananda, Brahmachari Sudheer Chaitanya, Chikkoos Sivan, Shaji and Brahmachari Nikhil and Brahmachari Sudhees, the State Coordinator of Bala Vihar in Kerala, who was the main organiser of the Camp.

These sessions were interactive and enlightening, instilling motivation and a sense of service among the participants. Various games and coordination activities further enhanced the team spirit and engagement.

New games, stories, activities and bhajans were introduced. 113 participants from all the districts of Kerala were part of this Camp.

Accommodation and Hospitality

The stay and food arrangements were exceptional, providing comfort and nourishment to all attendees. The hospitality extended by the organizers ensured a pleasant and conducive environment for learning and self-development.

Conclusion

The three-day BV Sevak Training Camp was a grand success, leaving participants enriched with knowledge, positivity, and a renewed sense of commitment. The energy and enthusiasm displayed throughout the event were remarkable, making it a memorable experience for all involved. And the sevaks took a Sankalpa of having 500 Bala Vihars by next year.

Swamini Gurupriyananda, a devoted disciple of Swami Chinmayananda, peacefully took final refuge at His Lotus Feet in Delhi, at 12.33 AM India time on 29 March 2025 at the age of 96 years.

Amma met Swami Chinmayananda in the mid 1980s, as Smt. Sita Juneja. She felt like she was beholding Bhagavan Shri Krishna, her Ishta Devata, before her. Very quickly, she transformed into an indefatigable, indomitable, dedicated sevika whose purpose in life was service to her Guru and His Mission.

As an interior designer, she was involved in decorating the temple and kutia for special occasions at Sidhbari, as well as other projects in Delhi. When the Chinmaya Centre of World Understanding was being made, she raised funds, chose the architect and personally supervised every aspect of construction.

On 3 August 2003, Amma received Sannyasa Deeksha from Swami Tejomayananda and became Swamini Gurupriyananda. With even greater zeal, she worked on Chinmaya Chetna, the multimedia experiential gallery on the life and work of Swami Chinmayananda. She also launched the well loved Bhakti Pravah series of concerts, organised fairs and exhibitions of Indians arts and crafts, gave an impetus to grassroot activities and distributed Chinmaya Mission publications far and wide.

With her warmth and guidance, Chinmaya Ranjan in Delhi has been an active Centre for classes and various other programmes. Thanks to her vision and extraordinary energy, she has created a large body of Chinmaya devotees and an enthusiastic band of sevaks and sevikas, bringing Swami Chinmayananda to the hearts of numerous people who did not know him directly.

Her immense contribution to Chinmaya Mission, which she offered with great devotion, will continue to inspire.

Respectful and loving homage to Swamini Gurupriyananda Amma.

Swami Swaroopananda recently visited Dubai for a transformative Jnana Yajna (series of talks), leaving a lasting impact on all who attended. One of the highlights was his insightful Chinmaya Yuva Kendra workshop for young adults, where he encouraged them to embrace the art of loving as a gateway to self-discovery.

He also led over 300 Bala Vihar children aboard the legendary QE2 for a special screening of the movie Wonder, exploring the film through the lens of the Bhagavad Gita and teaching valuable life lessons on kindness, empathy and inner strength.

A special Shishu programme for toddlers saw the little ones being taken on a thrilling Hanuman adventure, where they immersed themselves in the enchanting stories of Lord Hanuman. With his special animated style, Swami Swaroopananda beautifully brought the tales to life, planting the seeds of devotion in young hearts.

The thought-provoking workshop on relationships for adults was a profound exploration of harmony, offering practical advice on building stronger, more loving connections.

Swami Swaroopananda also addressed aspirants seeking personal excellence on how to align one’s inner self with the external world of wealth and abundance. His talk on Wealth and Spirituality was an eye-opener, revealing the divine possibility of creating a life that aligns with both spiritual growth and material abundance.

The talk on Sant Kabirdas left the Dubai audience in awe, as he brought to life the great saint’s profound wisdom on love, devotion and the eternal nature of the soul. The poetry and music-filled session became a soul-stirring celebration of divine love, awakening all to the higher truths of life and the unity of all beings.

Kohinoor International School and Kohinoor Blossoms have adopted the Chinmaya Vision Program and are now Chinmaya Vision Schools, imparting holistic education encompassing integrated development, Indian culture, patriotism and a universal outlook.

Admissions are now open for the academic year 2025-2026.

Presenting Chinmaya Mission’s first ever Impact Report (including an Executive Summary), available at the link given here:

share.chinmayamission.com/docs/Transformation-through-empowerment.pdf

This is more than just a report; it is a celebration of love in action, reflecting how Swami Chinmayananda’s vision of service to society continues to touch and transform countless lives.

Chinmaya Mission’s work of dissemination of Knowledge is well known and does not form part of this Impact Report. The report rather highlights how education, healthcare, environmental care and community upliftment complement Chinmaya Mission’s grassroots work to be a source of hope, strength and solace for so many.

This milestone stands as a testament to the shared commitment and unwavering dedication that unites the whole Chinmaya community.

May this report inspire us to continue this journey of selfless service, making a difference to the lives of all.

Mahashivaratri was observed in Sripaadakshetra, J P Nagar, on 26 February 2025 with the holy day commencing at 6.00 am with Mahanyaasa Poorvaka Ekadasha Rudrabhisheka followed by day long devotional offerings and bhajans by various groups until evening. Ekadasha Rudrabhisheka was again performed in the evening followed by bhajans and devotional songs until 11.45 pm. The day concluded with midnight Aarati.

The actual celebrations commenced on 19 February with daily morning and evening rice archana by devotees to the chanting of Shiva Sahasranama followed by devotional offerings by individuals and groups both in the morning and evening. Shivananda Lahiri was chanted by over 100 Devi Group members. The entire temple complex wore a festive look on all the days with hundreds of devotees visiting the complex every day to seek the Lord’s Grace.

Over 200 Study Group members of Bengaluru met in Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Koramangala on Sunday 16 February 2025 in the holy presence of Swami Brahmananda to discuss and share about the text, Ganapati Atharvashirsha. The study began three months ago when Swami Brahmananda asked all study group members to take up intense study of the text in their weekly classes. All members took the study seriously and studied with all sincerity usingSwami Tejomayananda’s commentary for reference. Many members were found to chant the text daily once and some twice daily with not only deep understanding but also trying to find the subtler meaning of each shloka with their own experiences. The enthusiasm and thirst to get better clarity was clearly visible in every member present.

Swami Brahmananda blessed the gathering with a power packed introduction of the text following which the members were divided into 10 groups with each group having 40 minutes to discuss on a set of shlokas given to them. After discussion the moderator of each team was given 5/6 minutes each to present the points discussed in the group. The quality of discussion and the depth of understanding by each team was of a very high standard which was visible in the presentation that covered not only the gross meaning but also several subtle aspects including references to other texts as well as examples from daily life.

Swami Brahmananda summed up the discussions explaining the in-depth philosophical significance of Ganapati Atharvashirsha and expressed satisfaction at the sincerity and understanding of the text by members.

Mahashivratri at Jagadeeshwara Mandir, Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, on 26 February was a glorious gathering of over 60,000 seekers, united in devotion in the presence of Swami Tejomayananda and Swami Swaroopananda. The day commenced with Rudram chanting, followed by sacred pujas and abhishekas, performed with deep reverence. The Deeparadhana at twilight illuminated the sanctum, and the four Yama Pujas through the night heightened the spiritual fervour.

The atmosphere was enriched by an unbroken offering, Akhanda Om Namah Shivaya japa, as well as Bhajan and Stotram offerings, led by Brahmacharins and devotees which prepared hearts for the culminating Maha Arati at midnight. The grand highlight was the Shiva-Parvati Vivaha, a divine enactment symbolizing the eternal union of one’s self with the Supreme, beautifully performed by Swami Sharadananda and the team of Pujaris and Brahmacharis.

Brahmacharins, the Ashram team, sevaks and volunteers worked tirelessly in the temple, managing the crowd, arranging the pujas and setting up bookstalls at both the main event and Saraswati Nilayam. Their dedication ensured a seamless and uplifting experience for all.

Mahashivratri at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya was more than a celebration. It was a collective offering of love, devotion and service to Lord Jagadeeshwara.

Om Namah Shivaya!

The FinCaps Quiz 2.0 was held on 28 February 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM at the Prajna Pratishthanam facility of CVV. 140 students from the BBA and B.Com. programmes attended. The preliminary round of the quiz was held on 20 February 2025. It was conducted online via LMS. Based on their performance, five groups were formed: Accounting Alchemist, Fiscal Falcon, Cash Flow Crew, Balance Brigade and Financial Circle.

The main quiz had four rounds: Newsflash Hunt, Economic Detective, Economic Lottery and Economic Rush. Notable participants included Karthikeyan (Fiscal Falcon), Karthik Sasikumar (Financial Circle), and Mohsin Shabbir (Balance Brigade).

The quiz was organised by Krishna Nandakumar (semester four B.Com.) as the student coordinator, with support from volunteers, including Hanna Joy and Krishna (semester two B.Com.).

The quiz fostered student engagement and enhanced financial knowledge among the participants.

CVV signed an MOU with Pushpagiri Research Centre, Thiruvalla, to foster collaboration in scientific research, curriculum development, faculty and student exchange programmes, and joint publications. Dr. T. Asokan, Dean–Academics and Registrar in charge, CVV, and Rev. Dr. Mathew Mazhavancheril – Director & Head, Pushpagiri Research Centre, signed the MOU on behalf of their respective institutions on 5 March 2025 at the Warriam Road facility of CVV.

Also present were Dr. Anand H. S. (Principal i/c, CVV IST), Dr. Praveen K. M. (Assistant Dean – Learning and Innovation and Associate Professor, CVV-IST); Mr. Athul Ravi (Assistant Director (Academics), Centre of Excellence for IKS-CKS Integration & Assistant Professor of Chemistry, CVV IST, Prof. S. M. Sharma (Director, Research & Development Cell, CCVV), Dr. Nebu George Thomas (Professor in Periodontics and Scientist in Charge of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Lab, Pushpagiri Research Centre) and Dr. Aniket Naha (Scientist, Pushpagiri Research Centre).

The MOU outlines various areas of cooperation between the two institutions, which include: Scientific Research Collaboration, Joint Curriculum Development and Research Methodologies, Joint Conferences, Workshops and Training Programmes, Faculty and Researcher Exchange, Student Exchange and Research Training, Co-Supervision of Doctoral Theses, and Joint Scientific Publications and Patents.

This MoU signifies a strong commitment between CVV and Pushpagiri Research Centre to advance research and academic cooperation. The collaboration is expected to enhance interdisciplinary research, facilitate knowledge exchange, and promote innovations in material science, biomedical research, and related fields. This partnership will not only benefit both institutions but also contribute to the larger scientific community.