The SDM Post Graduate Centre, Ujire, hosted a lecture on November 26 as part of the ‘Viveka Jagruthi :ecture Series’, organised by Ramakrishna Mission, Mangaladevi, Mangaluru. Swami Atmajnānananda Ji, Head of the Ramakrishna Vedanta Ashram in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, delivered the address on ‘Power of Purpose: Finding Meaning in What You Do’. He highlighted that the new generation bears the solemn responsibility of correcting global misconceptions about Indian culture, which are often amplified by Western media, by firmly establishing the nation’s true cultural and social Asmita (identity).
Swami Atmajnānananda Ji emphasized the importance of purpose (sarthakata) in life, stating that genuine happiness and fulfillment are impossible without understanding one’s life objective. He noted that a lack of clear purpose often leads to confusion, depression, and hardship in modern society. According to him, work without direction lacks value, and when one discovers their life’s purpose, they gain the strength and clarity needed to overcome all challenges. He strongly advocated for the necessity of leading life as a good human being, which is the ultimate respect one can pay to human existence, and stressed that paying attention to one’s thoughts is as vital as caring for one’s physical body.
Furthermore, he stressed the need for setting a clear ideal in life. Referencing Swami Vivekananda’s philosophy, the Swami explained that an ideal provides a necessary guide for self-improvement; an individual with an ideal will correct their mistakes and not repeat them, whereas a person without an ideal will continue to err. This pursuit of idealism, coupled with continuous effort and patience, is the pathway to both personal success and the fulfillment of the youth’s grander responsibility towards the nation.
In his welcoming address, Principal Prof. Vishwanath P. reiterated that SDM College’s academic mission extends beyond imparting mere knowledge; it focuses on inculcating high moral values and samskaras (ethics) in students. He emphasized that the objective of education is to shape a strong personality alongside knowledge acquisition, encouraging the students to adopt the spiritual and philosophical ideals of Swami Vivekananda. The event was attended by Dr. Sowmya B.P., Dean of the Post Graduate Centre, Ms. Nandakumari, Vice Principal, Prof. Shridhar Bhat, Registrar (Administration), Mr. Ganesh Nayak, Registrar (Evaluation), faculty, and students of SDM College (Autonomous), Ujire, and was smoothly managed by Dr. Manoj Godbole, associate professor of the PG Biotechnology department.
