The Ramakrishna Mission reviewed a year of wide-ranging work in education, social service and spiritual activities at its 116th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at Belur Math on Sunday. The meeting brought together senior monks and members of the organisation to take stock of achievements during the financial year 2024–25, both in India and abroad.
Presiding over the AGM, Swami Suvirananda, General Secretary of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, placed the annual report of the Governing Body before the house. The report detailed the Mission’s expanding activities, institutional recognitions and humanitarian services that reached millions of people.
A major highlight for Tripura was the recognition given to Vivekanagar School, Agartala, which received the Best School Award from the Government of Tripura. The award was given in recognition of the school’s strong academic performance and its focus on all-round development of students. The achievement was seen as a moment of pride for the education sector in Agartala and the state as a whole. Another Mission-run institution, Kozhikode School, was also honoured with the Best School Award by the Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Society, Kozhikode.
The AGM also noted progress in higher education and research. Vidyamandira Residential College at Belur Math received recognition as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (SIRO) from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research under the Ministry of Science and Technology. This recognition reflects the college’s growing contribution to academic research.
Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI) was selected to establish Centres of Natural Farming under the National Mission on Natural Farming of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. In another key development, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) awarded A+ grades to the College of Education, Coimbatore, and Sikshanamandira, Belur Math.
Several Mission-run colleges also featured prominently in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). Vivekananda Centenary College, Rahara, secured the 3rd rank at the national level, followed by Vidyamandira Residential College, Belur Math, at 17th rank, Narendrapur Residential College, Kolkata, at 24th rank, and Arts and Science College, Coimbatore, at 82nd rank.
In the field of agriculture and sports education, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research recognised the Divyayan Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Ranchi Morabadi for developing locally scented rice varieties. Meanwhile, Maruthi College of Physical Education, Coimbatore, received a Yoga World Record Certificate and the Institution of Excellence Award from the World Sports Yoga Federation, Hong Kong.
The AGM also recorded the expansion of the Mission’s organisational presence. Five new Ramakrishna Mission branch centres were opened during the year at Haflong and Kuralbhanga in Assam, Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, and Sarati and Siliguri in West Bengal. In addition, four new Ramakrishna Math centres were established at Adipur in Gujarat, Kolhapur in Maharashtra, Pathanamthitta in Kerala and Rewa in Madhya Pradesh.
On the service front, the Ramakrishna Mission and Ramakrishna Math continued large-scale humanitarian work through 244 branch centres and sub-centres across India. An expenditure of Rs. 1,670.79 crore was incurred on education, healthcare, rural and tribal welfare, relief and rehabilitation, general welfare, spiritual activities and publication work. These services benefited millions of people across the country.
Internationally, the Mission strengthened its presence with the opening of a new centre in Washington, DC, in the United States. It currently operates through 99 centres and sub-centres in 24 countries outside India.
