During the birth Centenary of Sister Nivedita in the year 1967-68, the members of Sarada Mahila Samity of New Delhi conceived a noble idea of establishing an educational and cultural centre in the name of Sister Nivedita as a Centenary Memorial to her. They felt that this centre should be under the Ramakrishna Sarada Mission, Dakshineswar. So they invited the Mission to start centre at New Delhi. In response to this, the Ramakrishna Sarada Mission started a branch on 14th April 1970 at Hauz Khas, a posh colony in south Delhi, with the aim of spreading cultural & spiritual ideals among women & children irrespective of caste, creed or financial status.

With a belt of lush green trees, and surrounded by beautiful flower-beds, the centre has a serene atmosphere. Starting with a single educational project, it has now developed into a hive of activities with the co-operation & benevolence of friends and well-wishers. Special mention must be made of the singular efforts of Mira Sawhney, the first President of the Managing Committee and a member of the Sarada Mahila Samiti, for her drive and initiative in raising funds for the Ashrama building landscaping a beautiful garden with the help of many devotees.

Nivedita Vidya Mandir : This is a Pre-Primary and Primary School for children and it provides a sound base of Indian values, tradition and culture closely modelled on Sister Nivedita’s ideas, within the framework of modern educational system. As an educationist, Nivedita’s contribution is remarkable. Bharatiya or Indianness was the very core of her projects and her message to the people of India was ‘Worship India. Contemplate on India.’ All her thoughts on education were chiefly meant to channelize the energy of the student-world towards ‘nation-making’ or building a strong, united India.

School Building

Prayer Assembly

The main object of Nivedita Vidya Mandir is to provide the right input to help the children grow up keeping these ideals in sight. The number of students in Vidya Mandir is 250.

Students celebrate Sports day, School Anniversary and Independence Day with inspiring speeches of our national leaders and an episode from any National leader’s or any part of our freedom struggle is enacted by the children and they also sing patriotic songs with full gusto in one voice echoing the love for the motherland.

School Band

Cultural Programme

The second project is the Vivekananda Balmandir for children of age group 8 to 14. It was started on 16th August 1970, with the purpose of acquainting the children with the elementary knowledge of the scriptures and the history, traditions, culture and way of life in our country. This is done through reading original scriptures, stories, dramatics, music and recitation. Classes are held on Sunday afternoons by our monastic sisters. Balmandir has its own multi-lingual library. At present there are 53 children on roll in this project.

Sarada Mandir

Balmandir

Sarada Mandir: The third project is Sarada Mandir. It was started in 1977 for the financially needy girls of Shahpurjat village near Hauz khas. Girls of Classes V to XII studying in government schools attend special free coaching classes in English, Science and Mathematics. They also learn music, elocution and dramatics. Competitions are held to provide these students an opportunity to discover their talents. Food, clothes and medicines are given to them regularly. Many of them get their school uniforms and fees. There are approximately 127 girls on roll in Sarada Mandir.

Chandramani Balwadi: In January 1989, the fourth project, the Chandramani Balwadi was started. Children from the economically weaker section of our society staying in close vicinity come to learn reading and writing. Classes are held five days a week for children of 5 to 14 years of age. Tiffin is given to them daily. Woollen clothes, blankets and cotton clothes are given once a year. There are about 100 students on roll in this project. 

Balwadi

Vocational Training

Adult Education and Vocational Training: Apart from these projects for children there are some more projects started for the benefit of the mothers of Balwadi children and for the girls of nearby villages. They are Adult Education, Tailoring and knitting classes for women.

About 15 to 16 girls are given training in each of these skills. In order to equip these girls with the basic knowledge of computer application, there is a proposal to start a computer training course shortly.

Help to Students: Needy and meritorious students are given financial support regularly.

Relief and welfare : Assistance in food, clothes and medicines is given to the needy regularly.

Income and Expenditure: The recurring expenditure of the Nivedita Vidyamandir is met from the tuition fees paid by the students. The expenses of all other educational and cultural activities and all capital expenses are met by the Mission through donations. 

Study Circles and Cultural Activities: The following activities are also conducted for ladies, once a week, in the centre:

a) Study of Scriptures in English and Bengali
b) Devotional Music classes
Besides these, classes are also held in 4 other colonies in Delhi once a month.

The birthdays of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi and Swami Vivekananda are observed with discourses and discussions on their lives and teachings. Birthdays of other world teachers including Buddha, Mahavir, Shankaracharya, Nanak and Jesus Christ are also observed.

Library

Publication & Samvit

Publication: The Mission has a Book Shop where all the major books on Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Literature are sold. Besides, there are books on Yoga, Philosophy, Meditation and Spiritual Life. There is a good collection of books for children as well.

The Delhi centre has published a few books in English and Hindi, namely

Books in English

• Sri Ramakrishna’s Dakshineswar
• My India My People by Sister Nivedita
• Shankar Bhashya on the Brahma Sutra 
• Tales and Parables of Sri Ramakrishna in Verse
• Sri Sarada Devi and Sri Sarada Math 
• Western Women in the Footsteps of Swami Vivekananda

Books in Hindi 

• Sri Ramakrishna ka Dakshineswar
• Mera Bharat Mere Log
• Bhagini Nivedita
• Atma Vikas Part I, II and III
• Sri Sarada Devi aur Sri Sarada Math 
• Pravrajika Bharatiprana