Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari – Karnataka Prant, organised a three-day Leadership Development Camp at the serene Vivekanandapuram campus in Kanyakumari from 18th to 20th July 2025. A total of 146 students (71 brothers and 75 sisters) from 44 colleges across 18 districts of Karnataka participated, along with 6 faculty members and 17 organising team karyakartas. The participants were grouped into 9 Ganas (teams) under 3 Mandalas (groups) for effective coordination.
The selection process was carried out in three phases. Phase I involved the Swadhyaya exam, conducted between January and March 2025 in various colleges across Karnataka, based on the book ‘Swami Vivekananda – Life and Messages’ in Kannada and English. In Phase II, a one-day Personality Development Workshop was held from April to June 2025 for students who had taken the exam. In Phase III, selected students were invited to participate in the 3-day Shibir at Kanyakumari. Prior to the camp, two online meetings were held—one with Gana Pramukhs and faculty, and another with all participants—to brief them about the programme.
The journey began on 17th July with all participants assembling at SMVT Railway Station, where ID cards were distributed. Bhajan Sandhya was conducted during the train journey. Upon arrival at Vivekanandapuram, participants experienced the peaceful ambience of the training centre. The Shibir, a flagship programme of Karnataka Prant for 2025–2028, was designed to nurture leadership qualities, imbibe cultural values, and promote teamwork among youth.
The camp schedule included a variety of activities such as Kendra Varga, Geet Abhyas, group discussions, Prerana se Punarutthan, Yoga Abhyas, Bhajan Sandhya at Ekakshara Ganapati and Kanyakumari Temples, Shram Samskar, Prathasmaran, team-building workshops, Mahavidyalaysthan Charcha, and a feedback session. Participants also visited the Arise Awake, Gangotri, and Ramayan Darshanam exhibitions; the sunrise point; Eknathji Samadhi; Vivekananda Rock Memorial; Kanyakumari Temple; and Suchindram Temple.
Six Bauddhik sessions were conducted:
- Inaugural Session by Mananeeya Gopinath Ji & Aadharneeya Lalita Akka
- ‘Swami Vivekananda - Hero of the Youth’ by Mananeeya Nivedita Didi
- ‘Leadership through Kendra Varga’ by Mananeeya Rekha Didi
- ‘Story of Vivekananda Rock Memorial & Vivekananda Kendra – Learnings for Leaders’ – Mananeeya Krishnamurthy Ji (Anna Ji)
- ‘Shri Eknathji Ranade – Learnings for a Manager’ – Aadharnaeeya Ravi Naidu Ji
- Concluding Session – Aadharneeya Radha Didi & Aadharneeya Prasad Ji
A special session during Prerana se Punarutthan on 19th July featured a presentation on Engineers India Limited (EIL). Through a video call, Mananeeya Venkatesh Ji explained the history of India’s petroleum sector, the technological capabilities of EIL, and how Bharat’s self-reliance in this sector was achieved through the dedicated work of engineers and technocrats.
The participants and faculty members actively engaged in all activities, creating a homely and cooperative atmosphere. Faculty members also assisted the kitchen team in preparing chapatis and food packets for the return journey, while students enthusiastically took part in serving food as a team. Feedback was collected, and e-certificates were sent to all participants via email. Follow-up activities are being planned to maintain the association and support the overall development of the participants.
