Universal Brotherhood Day Celebration at Kamaraj College in Thoothukudi

To commemorate Universal Brotherhood Day and in remembrance of Swami Vivekananda’s historic address at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893, Vivekananda Kendra Kanyakumari , Tamil Nadu Prant, Thoothukudi Branch, organized a Special Workshop at Kamaraj College (Autonomous). The event was held between 10:45 AM and 1:15 PM on 11th September 2025, with enthusiastic participation from the faculty, volunteers, and 50 students from the self-financing streams of the college.

The programme commenced with the garlanding of Swami Vivekananda’s statue inside the campus, followed by a prayer. The traditional lamp-lighting ceremony set the tone for the celebrations, after which Mrs. Chandramathi, volunteer of Vivekananda Kendra, rendered a soulful prayer song. Professor Dr. Raja Lakshmi from the Department of Tamil welcomed the gathering with insightful remarks.

The highlight of the programme was a motivational address by Shri. Ayyappan Anna, Prant Sah Sangatak, Tamil Nadu Prant, who elaborated on the goal and relevance of universal brotherhood in today’s times. Students were divided into groups for an interactive session on three thought-provoking sub-topics such as Brotherhood in the past, Brotherhood in the present and Challenges to brotherhood in the modern world.
Each group used charts and sketches to brainstorm their reflections, followed by brief presentations that showcased their perspectives. This activity created a lively atmosphere of learning and exchange of ideas.

Following the workshop & presentations, a sessions on the spiritual, social, and service initiatives were presented to the students - Smt. Chandramathi Akka explained the ‘Pidi Arisi Thittam’ (A scheme for donating fistful of rice everyday), Anna Pooja, Shri. R. Balaji Anna spoke on : Benefits of Yoga, Dr. Rajalakshmi on the Blood and Organ Donation Camps by Kamaraj College, Shri. R. Muniappan Anna on the Cultural Competitions and experiences at Kanyakumari Camp and Dr. A. Mathan Kumar (DHAN Foundation, Madurai )elaborated on the RDP activities like Deepa Pooja, Eye Check-up Camp etc.

The Guest of Honour, Dr. A. Mathan Kumar, engaged students through interactive discussions, highlighting ways to practice Swami Vivekananda’s message in everyday life. Smt. Sharmila, Principal of Sri Saradha Nursery & Primary School, participated along with Nagar Samiti members Shri . Muthukumar Anna, Sah Nagar Pramukh and Shri . Kallapiran Anna, Nagar Vyavastha Pramukh.

The celebration concluded with a prayer and distribution of prasadam. Students expressed that the sessions had inspired them to reflect deeply on Swami Vivekananda’s timeless message of harmony, unity, and universal brotherhood.