Ramakrishna Mission Vidyapith, Purulia, is a fully residential Higher Secondary School, affiliated to the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education and West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education. It was established in the year 1957 far away from the din and bustle of the city, with the object of giving a practical and concrete shape to the educational ideals of Swami Vivekananda. Here studen
ts from all sections of the society get opportunities to study regardless of their caste, creed, religion or financial condition under the direct care of all-renouncing monks and dedicated teachers, who spare no pains to instill in them the right values and habits round the clock. The aim is to help the boys fulfill their inherent potential, and blossom into worthy human beings equipped with the right qualities of head, hand and heart to deal with the challenges of modern life and make a positive difference to the society. The ashramik environment, centred around the Sri Ramakrishna shrine, is a modern version of the ancient Gurukula system as envisioned by Swami Vivekananda, adapted to the needs and demands of today's times, where students live in the proximity of the teachers all the time. Set up amid lush greenery, this institution boasts two exquisitely sculptured school buildings, named Sarada Mandir and Vivek Mandir for the senior and junior boys respectively, where man-making and character-building education as prescribed by Swami Vivekananda is imparted alongside academic pursuits. There is also a beautiful building named appropriately Nivedita Kala Mandir exclusively dedicated to the pursuit of fine arts, ceramics, and music. Two beautifully designed and well-curated museums, which are a veritable treasure trove of many rare and valuable specimens of art and craft of the past, are among the chief attractions of the institution. The sprawling school campus is also adorned with a small zoo, an aviary, a dairy, a poultry-firm, a kitchen garden and a number of flower gardens. The flora and the fauna of Vidyapith is a joy to behold, and is a great source of inspiration and attraction both to the inmates and the guests. There are twenty-six playgrounds and a gymnasium with facilities for playing football, cricket, hockey, volleyball and table tennis for the students. When 700 students hit the ground after the school-hour and get engrossed in different games every afternoon, the whole Vidyapith comes alive with an explosion of pure energy and vitality which has to be seen to be believed, especially in todayโs cramped and congested environment where playgrounds are fast vanishing and space is at a premium. Over the years, this institution has grown from strength to strength, and earned a reputation for consistently maintaining high standards in academics, culture, and co-curricular activities. It is widely recognised as one of the best educational institutions, not only of our state but also of the country. The glorious achievements of our alumni in diverse fields in different parts of the globe bear testimony to this. In recognition of its contributions to the field of education in particular, and to the society at large in general, this institution was honoured with the President's Award in the year 1993 and was awarded the 'Sera Vidyalaya Sammanana' by the state of West Bengal in 2018 and 2021. Swami Vivekananda defined education as โthe manifestation of the perfection already in manโ. This has always been the guiding principle behind the value-based holistic education that we have striven to impart here for the all-round development of our students, and will continue to remain so in the years to come.
