Inauguration of brand-new Computers and Printer at
Omkarananda Kunja Shishu Niketan, Junior High School,
Agrakhal, Distt. Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand
on 4th January 2010
Report by Shri Munnesh Agnihotri

School students receive the guests with flowers.

Swami Omkarananda Saraswati Charitable Trust, through Omkarananda Educational Society, has been performing commendable job in the field of education. Presently the Society is running more than 50 Schools in the remote areas of Uttarakhand. This was the vision of Gurudev Paramahamsa Swami Omkarananda Saraswatiji Maharaj. Gurudev wanted to remove the darkness of ignorance by the light of Education. In order to realize the vision of His Gurudev, Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda, His wonderful disciple and appointed Successor, started opening schools and financing schools as per the wishes of Gurudev. In this sequence, Omkarananda Kunja Shishu Niketan, Junior High School, Agrakhal, is the first and foremost Omkarananda Hill School, which was adopted in July 1989. It is located in a beautiful place on an altitude of ca. 1500 metres along the Rishikesh-Gangotri Road, 30 km north of Rishikesh. This School is situated near the Kunjapuri Siddha Peeth and it has been named after Kunja Devi. The school is located at such a beautiful site, that one can enjoy natural scenic beauty and snow-capped Himalayan mountain ranges even from the class rooms.

Shri Shantilal Patel is inaugurating the new computers and printer for the computer lab of the school.

The school, being the first one adopted by the Omkarananda Educational Society, has always been enjoying priority in its development. Recently Shri Shantilal Patel from Omkarananda Ashram Switzerland, a disciple of Gurudev, had added two more computers and a printer to the Computer Lab of this school. The Management Committee and staff of the school resolved to celebrate this event. Shri Surendra Singh Khandari, Manager of the School, along with Shri Kothiyal, Headmaster, came down to Omkarananda Ashram to seek blessings of Reverend Swami Vishveshwaranandaji Maharaj to grace the event as Chief Guest on 4th January 2010. Swamiji very kindly gave his consent for the same.

The Principal of this Omkarananda Hill School offers a Tilak to H.D. Paramahamsa Omkarananda Saraswati.	From left to right sitting at the dais: Honourable SDM, Narendranagar, Shri Rawat, Swami Narasimhulu, Kumari Somashekhari, Swami Vishveshvarananda, Shri Shantilal Patel.

Accordingly a delegation, comprising of Kumari Somashekhari, General Secretary of the Trust, Swami Narasimhuluji, Shri Shantilal Patel, Shri P.C. Malhotra, Shri R.S. Rawat and Shri M.K. Agnihotri, led by Swami Vishveshwarananda, President of Swami Omkarananda Saraswati Charitable Trust, left Omkarananda Ashram for Omkarananda Agrakhal School at 11 am, on 4th January 2010 and reached at 12 noon. School Management Committee and other local dignitaries were waiting for Swamiji's arrival. As soon as they had a glimpse of Reverend Swamiji, their faces lighted up with glee and they started shouting "SWAMI OMKARANANDA KI JAY!", "SWAMI VISHVESHWARANANDA KI JAY!" The whole atmosphere resounded with it.
The Manager along with School staff and other people received Swamiji and others warmly and took them to the office of the school, where they were introduced with other members of Management Committee and staff to Swamiji. On the way to the office, Swami Vishveshwarananda and other members of the delegation were welcomed by the school children, who were lined up right from the road to the entrance of the School building. The children threw flowers on the passing visitors and offered their adoration. After brief introduction H.H. Swami Vishveshwarananda and all other delegates were taken to the Computer Lab, where Shri Shantilal Patel cut the ribbon amidst chanting of holy mantras and made the auspicious inauguration of 2 new computers and a new latest printer for the Computer Lab.

On this occasion cultural programmes were also organised. All the members reached to the platform where the cultural programmes were to be performed. In the meantime SDM (Subdivisional Magistrate) Narendranagar, Shri G.S. Rawat, also arrived. He was distinguished Guest of the function. Shri Virendra Singh Khandari presided over the function. The event commenced with the lighting of the traditional lamp by Swami Vishveshwaranandaji Maharaj and Kumari Somashekhariji, in front of Gurudev Swami Omkarananda's photo, followed by Saraswati Vandana, sung by the school children. Shri Kothiyalji, Head Master of the School, read the congratulatory address and thereafter Shri Kothiyal with Shri P.S. Khandari handed over the congratulatory address to H.H. Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda. On this occasion Shri P.S. Khandari presented the School Report before the distinguished guests, parents and others present.

The School children presented Garhwali Songs and Dances. A group of students demonstrated Yoga under the able guidance of their teacher. The teacher explained every Yoga pose and its merits and certain precautions. A student of Omkarananda Kunja Junior High School, Agrakhal, presented dance on a patriotic song. It was a vibrant dance and made a thrilling impact amongst the present.

Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda is addressing the parents of the school.	Kumari Somashekhari is distributing sweets to the children.

On this event Kumari Somashekhari, General Secretary of the Omkarananda Trust, sang three Garhwali Bhajans, which bagged tremendous appreciation. Thundering clapping went on throughout the songs. Whole foothill resounded with clapping.

SDM Shri G.S. Rawat, Shri Rajendra Rana, Chairman, Narendranagar Municipality, highly praised the activities of Omkarananda Educational Society in the field of Education. Shri Shantilal Patel, Shri P.C. Malhotra, Shri R.S. Rawat, Shri M.K. Agnihotri, also expressed their views.

Swami Narasimhulu also expressed his reminiscences and called it one of the rarest opportunities he got to spend a few years of his life in the company of Gurudev Paramahamsa Swami Omkarananda Saraswati.

Swami Vishveshwarananda, President of Swami Omkarananda Saraswati Charitable Trust, threw light on the activities of the Ashram for the religious, social and economic upliftment of the people in the remote areas of Garhwal. He expressed that Gurudev loved Garhwal and Garhwalis very much. He further added that it was Gurudev's vision that every village of Garhwal should have one school, running under Omkarananda Educational Society. He expressed that in order to realize the vision of Gurudev, Omkarananda Educational Society has been endeavouring ceaselessly in this direction.

Some of the school children with the School Managers, Swami Vishveshwarananda, Soma and Mr. Patel

On the request of the Management Committee and others present, to adopt a branch of this Omkarananda Agrakhal School, at Develdhar, running successfully for the last one year, Swamiji being dedicated and devoted to his Gurudev, accorded his kind approval. For this, all of them were very grateful and happiness was reflecting from their faces. Swamiji recollected when late Shri B.D. Tiwari approached him in 1989 to adopt this Agrakhal School. His request was acceded to and the School was adopted for its development. He told that this is the first Omkarananda Hill School, so it should reach to the heights of development.

Shri Virendra Singh Khandari, Ex-Pramukh, in his address told, that Paramahamsa Swami Omkarananda Saraswati Maharaj is like Ram and his true disciple H.H. Swami Vishveshwarananda is like Hanuman in the present days. In the end Shri P.S. Khandari expressed his sincere thanks to all and hoped that their School would always be receiving the blessings in future too. Swamiji thanked all of them for making a fine arrangement on such a short notice and assured them whole hearted cooperation for the tremendous development of their School, Omkarananda Kunja Shishu Niketan, Agrakhal.

With this the delegation set off to Omkarananda Ashram.