On the eve of the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, Department of Student Affairs, SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh presents a Poetry Competition on January 12, 2021, at 2 PM. Being a spiritual leader and a reformer in India, Swami Vivekananda has perpetually inspired the youth, marking January 12, 2021, as the National Youth Day. During this contest, the participants will be remembering the remarkable contributions of Swami Vivekananda by reciting at least 20 lines of any poem written by the icon. In addition, the contestants are encouraged to encapsulate the poem in a few words for a clear depiction of the intriguing message presented by Swami Ji. The winner of the competition will receive goodies worth Rs 750 and the runner up will be awarded the second prize comprising of gifts worth Rs 500. All the students are urged to participate in the competition to get inspired by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, and win exciting prizes and e-certificates. 

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is nationwide revered as a legendary figure of the Indian National Movement. A study of his biography unfolds his unflagging zeal, as a leader and motivator. His social, economic, and political concepts were formulated with the sole objective of India’s emancipation from the British rule of exploitation and oppression. He also thought about the reconstruction of Free India.

According to Subhas Chandra Bose, education was essential for character building and overall development of human life. Education unveils the internal discipline of mind and thoughts, which in its turn produces external discipline of control of action or deeds.

He understood the need for female education and female emancipation- liberating from all shackles and artificial disabilities – social, economic and political. Netaji Subhas Chandra was completely against of any discrimination on the grounds of caste, race, sex, creed or wealth in Free India.

His addresses at the Indian National Congress bears Subhas Chandra’s ideas on a comprehensive reconstruction of Free India. Bose wanted the states to adopt an elaborate scheme for gradually socialising the entire agricultural and industrial system in the spheres of both production and distribution. He also advocated the abolition of landlordism and liquidation of agricultural indebtedness. According to Netaji, liberty broadly signified political, economic and social freedom. For him, economic freedom was the essence of social and political freedom.

However, if we look at today’s India and the happenings, can we claim for sure that we have imbibed the great leader’s vision in its true essence? We are free constitutionally, but are we really free at all? Is this the freedom our great freedom fighters like Bose envisioned for us?

Department of Student Affairs is organising a webinar on the birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to honour and recall his beliefs on freedom and Nation. Dr Ram Kulesh Thakur will be talking on “Am I Free? Re-Contextualising Subhas Chandra Bose in the Present Era.” Dr Thakur is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English. Join the webinar on January 23 at 5 pm with Dr Ram Kulesh Thakur, who will be shedding some light on this much-debated topic.