Background
Background
Background
Educational Development was the dream of Dr. Prasanta Kumar Pradhan, IAS (Retd.), founder President of Viswa Seva Sangha Trust, (Viswast) and Founder Patron of Swami Sivananda Sanskrit College, Nuapada, Deogarh District, Odisha. Accordingly, the founder President of the Trust discussed with the then Registrar, Utkal University of Culture, Sri Balakrishna Behera, IAS. Dr Pradhan had a strongffinity towards Indian culture and specifically of Sanskrit studies, Yoga& Vedanta. Due to his sufferings for getting education at his village he had a strong desire for the educational development of rural people of his area.Accordingly the founder president of the trust Dr. Pradhan discussed Became the Pioneer to Establish one sanskrit School in his village . In the year 2003 a move was started by Dr. Pradhan to frame a syllabus for the proposed M.A yoga Course. Accordingly, the syallabus was approved by the Utkal University of culture due to the positive support of the then Registrar Sri Balakrushna Behera a proposal was submitted to Commissioner-cum- Secretary, Culture Department, Government of Odisha to issue No Objection Certificate to establish a M.A. in Yoga College in Bhubaneswar. The Government of Odisha in Culture Department was kind enough to issue NOC in favour of the Educational Agency, Viswa Seva Sangha Trust, Nuapada, Deogarh. Accordingly, the Viswa Seva Sangha Trust submitted its application to the Utkal University of Culture to establish its M.A. in Yoga College in the honour of H.H. Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj, Founder President, International Divine Life Society, Rishikesh, Himalayas, Uttarkhand, India and named as “Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Academy (SYVA)”. In course of time various authorities changed but ultimately the institution got its affiliation vide order No. 636 dated 25.03.2015 due to positive support of the then Registrar Dr. S.K. Das, the then Controller of Examinations Dr. M.K. Panigrahi, the then Vice Chancellor of Utkal University of Culture, Prof. Debendra Nath Jena and Dr. Arabinda Padhi, the then Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Culture Department, Government of Odisha. The institution got permission to start admission from the academic session 2015-16 with an intake capacity of 60 students.
In its long process of effort we acknowledge the contribution and blessing of H.H. Swami Nirliptananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj, Vice President, International Divine Life Society, Rishikesh, Himalayas, India, H.H. Swami Padmanavananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj, General Secretary, International Divine Life Society, H.H. Swami Sivachidananda Saraswati ji Maharaj, H.H. Swami Dharma Prakashananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj, H.H.Swami Santananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj, International Divine Life Society, Rishikesh and Late Udaya Nath Mohanty, OES (I) Retd., Reader in Sanskrit, Dr. Dinesh Prasad Swain, Ms. Bishnupriya Acharya, Yoga Expert, Late Kali Charan Samantary, Secretary Biju Patnaik Computer Academy,. We express our deep gratitude to all of them.
H.H.Swami Sivananda Saraswati
Swami Sivananda Sanskrit College and Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Academy are dedicated in the honour of “Param Gurudev” and the great propagator of Yoga in Modern age. The book of ‘Yoga Asanas” was first printed by H.H. Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj in the year 1931 and recently 14th edition of the book is reprinted. A small biography as published in the cover page of the above book by International Divine Life Society is extracted below:
“Born on the 8th September 1887, in the illustrious family of Sage Appayya Dikshitar and several other renowned saints and savants, Sri Swami Sivananda had a natural flair for a life devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta. Added to this was an inborn eagerness to serve all and an innate feeling of unity with all mankind.
His passion for service drew him to the medical career; and soon he gravitated to where he thought that his service was most needed. Malaya claimed him. He had earlier been editing a Health Journal and wrote extensively on health problems. He discovered that people needed right knowledge most of all; dissemination of that knowledge, he espoused as his own mission. It was divine dispensation and the blessing of God upon mankind that the doctor of body and mind renounced his career and took a life of renunciation to qualify himself for ministering to the soul of man. He settled down at Rishikesh in 1924, practiced intense austerities and shone as a great Yogi, Saint, Sage and Jivanmukta.
In 1932 Swami Sivanandaji started the Sivanandashram. In 1936, was born ‘The Divine Live Society’. In 1948 the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy was organized. Dissemination of spiritual knowledge and training of people in Yoga and Vedanta were their aim and object. In 1950 Swamiji undertook a lightning tour of India and Ceylon. In 1953 Swamiji convened a “World Parliament of Religions”. Swamiji is the author of over 300 volumes and has disciples all over the world, belonging to all nationalities, religions and creeds. To read Swamiji’s works is to drink at the fountain of wisdom Supreme. On 14th July, 1963 Swamiji entered Mahasamadhi”.
Viswa Seva Sangha Trust(www.viswast.org) & its organization.
Dr. Prasanta Kumar Pradhan now retired from Indian Administrative Service, a traditional yoga teacher since 1980 and a visionary dreamt to develop the rural areas surrounding to his birth place, Nuapada, PO: Aunli, Nuapada GP, Reamal Block in Deogarh District. Accordingly, Viswa Seva Sangha Trust was started as a Public Trust on 23.03.1993. However, it was registered as a public trust in the year 1996 bearing No.15, dated 26.04.1996 and executed at the District Sub-Registrar, Deogarh.
Founder Trustees :
However at present Dr. Prasanta Kumar Pradhan the founder . Trustee has taken the respectively to act as the Chief Advisor and also designated as the Honorary Chairman the trust as well as all associate organizations-The Trust Board is founders follows:
- Dr. Prasanta Kumar Pradhan,IAS(Retd) Chairman
- Dr. Savitri Nanda,Retd Professor of Anthopology Trustee
- Dr. Kalyani Das,Retd Associate Professor of Zoology Trustee
- Sri Pravakar Pradhan,Social Worker Trustee
- Smt. Sailabala Dehury,Social Worker Trustee
- Sri Pratap Chandra Biswal,Social Worker Trustee
- Sri Jagabandhu Pradhan Trustee
- Sri Prabodha Kumar Pradhan ,Social Worker Managing Trustee
- Rajashree Panda,Retd Teacher Trustee
- Late Muralidhar Biswal,Social Worker Trustee
About the Founder Patron
Dr. Pradhan, a retired IAS Officer, Founder Patron of all the institions of the trust. He is partcing Yoga since his college days, i.e., since 1973. He was associated with Satyananda Yoga Vidyalaya,Sambalpur, a branch of Bihar School of Yoga,Munger. He is a Life member of International Divine Life Society,Rishikesh,Himalayas. He is also associated with the study group of Chinmoy Varistha Bhawan, Chinmay Mission,Bhubaneswar. He has been blessed by H.H. Swami Premananda Puriji Maharaj, Rengalpali Yogashram,Deogarh,Odisha. H.H.Swami Satyananda Saraswati ji Moaharaj Bihar School of Yoga,H.H. Swami Chindananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj,Swami Krishnananda Swaraswati Ji Maharaj of International Divine Life Society,Rishikesh,Himalayas,India. He has attended many spiritual conferences of Bihar School of Yoga,Divine Life Society and Chinmoy Mission,Odisha. Due to the Blessings of the Holy Saints he has acquired knowledge on Bhakti Yoga,Karma Yoga,Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga during the past 5 decades besides his administrative works as an Administrative officer.
Swami Sivananda Saraswati
Swami Premananda Industrial Training Center
The Trust has established an Industrial Training Center and was imparting short duration technical courses to the needy students of the area. The Industrial Training Center had been established in the year 1997 at the block head quarters. However, due to non-availability of space, the Industrial Training Center has been shifted from Reamal to “Rameswar Vihar”, Nuapada since October, 2001. Land donated by Late Ananta Charan Pradhan, Late Smt. Lalita Pradhan, Sri Maguni Pradhan, Sri Tikeswar Pradhan, Late Kainta Pradhan and Smt. Rani Behera were of immense help to the institute. The Director Technical Education, Orissa and National Council for Vocational Training, New Delhi has approved to open Electrical & Fitter Trades from July, 2007.
Sri Rameswar Seva Trust(Sri Rameswar Temple)
In order to create spiritual vibration &service mentality among the students, Sri Rameswar Temple was constructed and opened for darshan on 17.03.2006 by Pujya Sri Dibyasingh Dev Gajapati Maharaja, Puri. Since then young Brahmin students are being trained inside the temple premises in “Karma Kanda” by which they are able to earn their livelihood in a decent and dignified manner. It is managed by Sri Rameswar Seva Trust, under the patronage of Viswa Seva Sangha Trust),Nuapada,Deogarh.
Swami Chidananda Institute of Social Sciences(SCISS)(www.sciss.viswast.org)
The Academy(SCISS/SYVA) has been permitted by Government of Odishain Odia Language Literature & Cultural Department to open the following courses from the academic session of 2019-20. The name of the associate organizationhas been kept as Swami Chidananda Institute of Social Sciences.
- Master of Tourism and Travel Management (MTTM)
- Master in Rural Management and Gandhian Studies (MRM&GS)
- Bachelor of Interior Design (BID)
The Academy will take all possible steps to educate rural poor students in the above subjects for their future prospects in life.
Sri Rameswar Veda Pathasala
One Veda Pathasala in the traditional Indian culture was another dream of Dr. Prasanta Kumar Pradhan, IAS(Retd) the founder patron of the College/Trusts. Although no official government recognition has been obtained by the Trust, regular theoretical and practical training are imparted to poor brahmin students with regular education in ‘Karma Kanda’ for earning their livelihood in urban areas in a dignified manner.
Lalita Ananta Sevashrama Mahavidyalaya
In order acquaint the students of rural area the founder chairman of Viswa Seva Sangha Trust had dreamt a residential Science college at Village Nuapada, the headquarters of the Trust. The trust also applied to higher Education Department in the name of Lalita Ananta Residential Science College. The Director,Higher Education,Odisha also ordered vide letter no-27736,dt.29.05.1997 for conducting inspection of the above referred LAR Science College. But due to the starting of Swami Sivananda Sanskrit College in the same year 1997, the founder chairman of Viswa Seva Sangha Trust postponed the establishment of the proposed LAR Science College. However, in order to broaden the sphere of the proposed college the name was changed to Lalita Ananta Sevashrma Mahavidyalaya and accordingly registered with the registering authority bearing No.32,dtd.02.07.1997 Addl. Registrar of the Societies , Deogarh However the same initiative was taken during the year 2018-19 & Regional Director Education,Sambalpur vide their letter no-780,dtd.02.03.2019 intimated the permission to start the college from the academic year 2019-20. Again due to financial constraints the college was started from the academic session of 2020-21. With Honours in Computer Science,Physics,Chemistry,Botony,Zoology,Education,Economics, Political Science & History.
Sivananda Vanaprastha Ashram(SIVA)
The Trust has dreamt to establish an Oldage Homes for the aged for rural elders in rural area and urban elders in Urban Area. But due to funds constraints and non availability of Govt Land this project has not yet been started.
LAIONS Higher Secondary School
The Trust had also applied for starting a Higher Secondary Schoolat village Nuapada,the headquarters of the trust. So Accordingly , the trust applied to the School & Mass Education Development. The Director Higher Secondary Education,Odisha permitted vide their letter no-9605,dt.09.08.2019 to start the Higher Secondary School from the academic session of 2019-20. But due to funds constraints and renewal of the permission, the same institution has not yet been started. It is expected to start the institute from the academic session of 2021-22.
LALITA ANANTA CHARITABLE TRUST(LACT)
The Trust has also created a separate organization in order to cater to the extra needs of Sanskrit Education in case of urgent needs of its created institutions. The Trust is to cater the needs of extra coaching of the students as per their requirements from time to time in future.
Chidananda People’s Mission(The associate organization of SYVA)
The associate organization of the trust as well as of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Academy & Chidananda People’s Mission.Viswa Seva Sangha Trust & Chidananda People Mission had been established in the same year to work in a spirit of collaboration for upliftment of rural poors of our state and country. Chidananda People’s Mission had as prescribed incollaboration with Madhusudan Institute of Cooperative Management(MICM) had starting teaching in Yoga. Again after a gap of few years recently started to Zampant International Yoga teaching in collaboration of Tantra Yoga Chhenai & American Yoga Alliance.
The Institute Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Academy (SYVA)(www.syvacademy.com)
Viswa Seva Sangha Trust established SIVANANDA YOGA VEDANTA ACADEMY (SYVA), and limited its activities to short duration Training Courses since 2007. However, with a view to helping the interested students to make Yoga and Naturopathy as their career, a post graduate course (M.A. in Yoga) was started with affiliation under Utkal University of Culture from 2015-16. The institute is approved by Government of Odisha and affiliated to Utkal University of Culture, Odisha vide their letter No. 3104 dated 28.07.2007 and Letter No. 636 dtd. 25.03.2015 respectively. The college is now functioning at Plot No.F-115, Goutam Nagar and Plot No-109,BPCA Building,Bomikhal, Bhubaneswar, District: Khurda, Odisha, India.