The Ramakrishna Mission, New Delhi, runs a Free Coaching Centre for about 100 poor children who are studying in MCD schools in and around the Ashrama. Apart from the academic education, these children are provided one set of dress and snacks every evening. They are also taught subjects such as Yoga, Value Education, Spoken English, etc. We wanted to improve the quality of learning opportunities provided to these children. Hence, we approached the Rotary Club of Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, to help us set up a Digital Learning Centre. The Rotary Club, largely through the untiring efforts of Shri Ashish Ghosh, could garner funds for this project taking the help of their international partners in Pakistan and USA. In all they have sanctioned a sum of Rs. 26 lakhs for this project. With this liberal financial assistance we could install Smart Boards provided by a company called Next Education India Pvt. Ltd. These Smart Boards contain preloaded contents of the CBSE syllabus for classes V to XII in both Hindi and English. Apart from the regular syllabus, the contents include a substantial amount of information on various related topics in respect of each subject. These Smart Boards greatly facilitate the teachers as well as the students to teach and to learn respectively in a highly engaging and interactive mode. Our teachers and students are very excited about this new facility.
This facility was formally inaugurated on the 12th of October, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. in a solemn function which was prsided over by Revered Swami Srikaranandaji Maharaj, Assistant General Secretary of the worldwide Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math. Shri Diwan Chand, IAS, Secretary, Depart of Education, Govt. of Delhi, was the Chief Guest and Rotarian Shrikant Joshi was the Guest of Special Honour. The inauguration which was done in one of the classrooms was telecast live in the auditorium for the benefit of about 200 people consisting of the children, parents, teachers, devotees and several distinguished Rotarians. Following the inauguration a Public Meeting was held in the Sarada Auditorium of the Ashrama where all the above mentioned dignitaries spoke. All of them along with the distinguished Rotarians were presented mementos by Swami Shantatmananda. All those present deeply appreciated this new facility provided to poor and underprivileged children.