Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan Attends 'Vishwa Seva Dinam' in Amritapuri, Launches Various Humanitarian Initiatives

The Vice President of India, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, attended the 'Vishwa Seva Dinam' celebrations organized by the Mata Amritanandamayi Math at Amritapuri in Kollam, Kerala, to mark the 73rd birthday of Mata Amritanandamayi Devi. During the event, he expressed his respect for Mata Amritanandamayi Devi and praised her dedication to the service of humanity.

On this occasion, the Vice President launched several significant humanitarian initiatives of the Math. He handed over financial assistance of 2 crore rupees to Shri Surendra Thapa, the Ambassador of Nepal to India, for Nepal flood relief. Additionally, he distributed certificates for free surgeries for underprivileged beneficiaries at Amrita Hospitals in Kochi and Faridabad, as well as financial aid to families of fishermen. The Vice President also released the 'Amritakutiram 30th Anniversary Souvenir' to commemorate the construction of 50,000 houses in India and Sri Lanka, along with three new publications from the ashram: 'The Hanuman Chalisa', 'The Ocean of Grace', and 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram'.

Addressing the gathering, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan stated that the life of Mata Amritanandamayi Devi is a message of love, compassion, and selfless service. He noted that since 1998, charitable medical assistance exceeding 890 crore rupees has been provided in India, benefiting over 64 lakh patients. The Vice President highlighted the 'AmritaSREE' initiative for women's empowerment, through which capital and training have been provided to approximately 2.5 lakh women across more than 15,000 self-help groups.

The Vice President lauded the Math for providing over 55,000 scholarships worldwide, constructing more than 50,000 houses for the homeless, and implementing pension schemes for over one lakh needy individuals. He mentioned the organization's relief efforts during disasters such as the Indian Ocean tsunami, the Gujarat earthquake, the Uttarakhand and Kerala floods, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Wayanad landslides. He also underscored the Math's contribution of 100 crore rupees to the 'Namami Gange' program and environmental initiatives like 'Amala Bharatham' and the 'Billion Tree Campaign'.

Emphasizing that humanity requires compassionate progress rather than just technical advancement, the Vice President discussed the vision of 'Viksit Bharat'. He stated that development must have a human aspect and that the principle of 'Vikas bhi, Virasat bhi' (Development as well as Heritage) should guide this journey. He called for a developed India to be an inclusive India where no one is left behind.

The event was attended by several dignitaries, including the Governor of Kerala and Tamil Nadu Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Kerala Chief Minister Shri V. D. Satheesan, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Shri Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Suresh Gopi, Speaker of the Kerala Assembly Shri Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan, Justice Gopinath, Members of Parliament Shri N. K. Premachandran and Shri Shashi Tharoor, and the Ambassador of Nepal, Shri Surendra Thapa.