2024.01.02 (Vrindavan Today News): Country’s first all-girl Sainik School opens in Vrindavan’s Vatsalya Gram. In a momentous occasion, the senior secondary school, Samavid Gurukulam, located in Vatsalya Gram, has been granted permission by the Indian government to operate as a Sainik School. The inauguration ceremony was officiated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who unveiled a commemorative plaque in the presence of revered saints.
With strength of nearly 870 students, Samvid Gurukulam Girls Sainik School has been established under the initiative of opening 100 new sainik schools in partnership mode with NGO/ private/ state government schools in all states / union territories, of which 42 have already come up, the Defence ministry said in a statement.
After inaugurating the school, Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh said, “The objective behind setting up 100 new schools is to provide quality education to the students in the tune with National Education Policy (NEP) and give them better carrier opportunities.”
As part of the three-day Shashti Poorti Mahotsav, dedicated to celebrating the 60th birthday of Vatsalya Gram’s founder and Adhishthatri Sadhvi Ritambhara, the military school’s formal commencement was a significant highlight. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath participated in the festivities by cutting a symbolic ribbon upon reaching Samvid Gurukulam. They then lit a lamp in front of the image of Goddess Saraswati.
Amid the presence of spiritual leaders, including Swami Paramanand Giri, Swami Ram Bhadracharya, Swami Dinesh Giri, and others, the ceremonial unveiling of the foundation stone was conducted. The entire gathering echoed with chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ as Yogacharya Baba Ramdev led the recitation, creating an atmosphere of divine reverence.
The CM Yogi talked about his initiative to start enrolling girl students at Sainik School, Luckno, in 2018. The Defence Minister in 2019 approved the admission of girl children to Sainik Schools from the 2021-2022 academic sessions in a phased manner. The decision was taken following the success of the pilot project started by the Defence Ministry in Sainik School, Chhingchhip, in Mizoram.
During the ceremony, GLA University’s Chancellor Shri Narayan Das Agrawal extended his greetings to Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. Additionally, Alok Kumar, President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Central Executive Committee felicitated Sadhvi Ritambhara, adorning her with a shawl. The disciples presented a unique garland made of 60 different types of flowers and leaves, symbolizing her completion of 60 years.
Notable personalities present at the event included Sanjay Gupta, Jay Bhagwan Agrawal, Sumanlata, Kalyani Dixit, and Amit Jain, the Metropolitan President of VHP. Captivating the audience, Yogacharya Baba Ramdev delivered a discourse on Vedic philosophy and emphasized the importance of unity and service to the nation.
In his address, Baba Ramdev praised the efforts of Swami Paramanand Giri in promoting harmony in the country. He asserted that the caste system is not mentioned in the Vedas, religious scriptures, or myths. Baba Ramdev further lauded Sadhvi Ritambhara’s contributions, stating that she has surpassed even Mother Teresa in her selfless service.
The event concluded with disciples performing rituals and presenting Ritambhara with a golden crown. A special gold weighing ceremony was also conducted, with a silver tola equivalent to 100 kilograms being measured. The disciples, along with Sadhvi Satyapriya, concluded the program by offering prayers and performing aarti in honor of Sadhvi Ritambhara.
