EARLIER GUESTS OF HONOUR
DR. J.K. BAJAJ
SHRI NITIN GUPTA
An Indian Institute of Science graduate, former ISRO scientist and now an agri-entrepreneur. Shri Nitin Gupta is transforming agriculture through Sickle, focusing on farmer profitability with innovative, high-quality farm machines. His work leverages design thinking to solve real-world challenges, delivering global-standard hardware that improves farming efficiency and productivity.
MRS. RAMA POPLI
Mrs. Rama Popli has been dedicating herself to empower rural and tribal communities through education and cultural preservation for more than 4 decades. A visionary leader, she champions social transformation, grassroots innovation, and sustainable development, creating lasting impact in untouched, unlooked tor regions of India.
SUSHRI RACHANA JANI
At the age of 17, inspired by a deep love for the nation, Rachana Didi decided to devote her life to build India of Swamiji's dream. In last 25 years, she has worked intensively in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh for women and youth empowerment and child welfare. Her dedicated efforts significantly impacted youth and children through meaningful initiatives.
SWAMI SARVALOKANANDA
A popular speaker on Vedanta philosophy, he travels length and breadth of India and abroad to promote peace and harmony.He served Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan,Kolkata, the largest Medical institution of The Ramakrishna Mission in India for 22 long years and has dedicated last 50 years of his life for service of humankind.
DR. KUSHAL KONWAR SARMA
Globally known for his work in the field of wildlife healthcare and conservation, he went beyond his call of duty as a university professor to serve wild animals and save lives of thousands of them.
SHRI R. SREENIVASAN
Passionate towards education and capacity building, he has contributed immensely in area of educational entrepreneurship and has mentored thousands of students and corporate professionals. He is also dedicated towards promoting performing and fine arts.
SWAMI SHUDDHIDNANDA
Swami Shuddhidnanda is a popular saint of the Ramkrishna Order. Currently, he is the Adhyaksha of Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati, which is one of the branch centres of Ramkrishna Math and Ramkrishna Mission. A voracious orator and a profound writer, Swamiji has dedicated his life to spread the message od Swami Vivekanand amongst the youth of the country.
DR. SUDHANSHU TRIVEDI
Dr. Sudhanshu Trivedi is an alumnus of Pantnagar University. An engineer and politician, he is currently serving as a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha and as the National Spokesperson of the Bhartiya Janata Party. After doing his PhD in mechanical engineering, he worked as a faculty in the same department at various Indian Universities. He is a prolific scholar and has extensive knowledge on the Hindu culture. Well versed in both Hindi and English language, Dr. Sudhanshu Trivedi is an articulate orator on matters related to politics and Indian culture.
SRI PRAFULLA AKANT
Sri Prafulla Akant is the National Joint Organising Secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the largest youth organization of the world. Working as a youth leader, he has nurtured thousands of students for the cause of nation building and instilled in them feelings of nationalism.
DR. ROSHAN LAL RAINA
Dr Roshan Lal Raina, currently the vice chancellor of the Jaipur National University, is a full brighter and SIS fellow who has worked for the Ministry of Agriculture, DSIR and CSIR. He has been actively involved in conducting innovative and need based management development programmes and workshops particularly in the areas like 'effective communication', 'marketing' 'IT application' to name a few. Dr Raina's contributions in academic and administrative matters are many and varied. With 22 best selling books and 243 papers in peer reviewed journals, he is a visionary higher academic institution builder, highly respected and admired in the corporate and the academic world.
DR. ABHIJIT GANGOPADHYAY
Dr. Abhijit is currently Dean and Prof. of Human Resource, Organizational Behaviour at Aegis School of Business. He having more than 4 decades of experience in Management education. He has been associated with various leading academic institutions. He was Prof. & Dean, School of Management & Labour Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai (TISS). He was also founding Dean of Indian Institute of Management, Indore (IIM Indore).
MR. VISHAL SINGH
Mr. Vishal Singh is a postgraduate of IIT Kharagpur and the Co-Founder of Gram Samriddhi Trust, a nonprofit organization working with the vision of making villages prosperous by strengthening the rural and tribal communities. He has trained more than 35 thousand farmers and played a crucial role in making 10 villages self reliant.
SUSHRI SHITAL JOSHI
She devoted her entire life working in Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari. She joined the center during the time of Vivekananda Bharat Parikrama in 1992. Since then she took over the responsibility of Sanskar Varg, Yoga Varg, and Swadhyay Varg in the center along with studying fine arts in Ahmedabad.
DR. SHEKHAR C. MANDE
Dr. Shekhar C. Mande is an Indian Structural and Computational Biologist. Currently he serves as the Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-cum- Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Govt of India.
SWAMI DHRUVESHANANDA
Swami Dhruveshananda serves as the Adhyaksha Ramakrishna Kutir, Almora. Which was founded in 1916 by Swami Shivananda and Turiyananda (monastic disciples of Sri Ramakrishna)
PADMASHRI CHANDRA SHEKHAR SINGH
He is the noted Agriculturalist from Varanasi who is known for developing high yield seeds. Honoured with Padma Shri in 2021
PADMASHRI PREM CHAND SHARMA
He is progressive Horticulture Farmer who has successfully introduced a range of ‘pomegranate’ varieties. Honoured with Padma Shri in 2021
SHRI NIKHIL YADAV
He serves as the Prant Yuva Pramukh Vivekananda Kendra, Uttar Prant at Vivekananda Rock Memorial & Vivekananda Kendra, KanyaKumari
MS. NIVEDITA RAGHUNATH BHIDE
Ms. Nivedita Raghunath Bhide is a Life Worker of Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari, India, since 1977. At present, she heading the Vivekananda Kendra Kanyakumari, as an All India Vice President.
SWAMI SHANTATMANANDA
Swami Shantatmananda is a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order and is well known as an able administrator and spiritual mentor. He presently heads the Delhi centre of the Ramakrishna Mission.
DR. RAJIV KUMAR
Dr. Rajiv Kumar is an Indian economist and is currently the vice-chairman of the NITI Aayog. He is the chancellor of the Gokhale Institute of Economics and Politics in Pune and founding director of Pahle India Foundation, a non-profit research organisation that specialises in policy-oriented research and analysis.
SMT. BABY RANI MAURYA
Smt Baby Rani Maurya has had a long and rich experience in administration and politics as well as in public life. Before being appointed as the Governor of Uttarakhand, she has fulfilled several political, administrative and social responsibilities.
SHRI JOGINDER SINGH
Shri Joginder Singh served as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chief between 1996 and 1997. Before joining the CBI, he served as superintendent of police in Bihar, deputy inspector general and inspector general in Karnataka, director in ministry of commerce among other postings.
SHRI GOBARDHAN PANIKA
Shri Gobardhan Panika is an Indian master weaver of Kotpad handloom a traditional tribal craft. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2018, for his contributions to the art of weaving.
DR. HARISH CHANDRA VERMA
Dr. Harish Chandra Verma is an Indian experimental physicist and a professor emeritus of the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur since 1994. His field of research is nuclear physics. In 2020, the Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India.
SHRI KAILASH KHER
Shri Kailash Kher is an Indian playback singer and music composer, he sang songs with a music style influenced by Indian folk music and Sufi music. Kher received the Padma Shri award in 2017 from the Indian government. He has also received two Filmfare Awards for Best Male Playback Singer.
SHRI JASPAL RANA
Shri Jaspal Rana is an Indian shooter. He was a gold medallist at the 1994 Asian Games, 1998 Commonwealth Games - Men's Center Fire Pistol, Men's Center Fire Pistol Pairs, 2002 Commonwealth Games - Men's 25m Center Fire Pistol, 2006 Commonwealth Games - Men's 25m Center Fire Pistol Pairs, and 2006 Asian Games.
MR. BABAR ALI
Babar Ali is a teacher from Murshidabad in West Bengal. He was called the "youngest headmaster in the world" by BBC in October 2009, at the age of sixteen. He had begun teaching at nine years of age, mostly as a game, and then decided to continue teaching other children at a larger scale.
PROF. RAMESH CHANDRA SINHA
Professor Ramesh Chandra Sinha is the present Chairman of Indian Council of Philosophical Research.He has been awarded Senior Fellowship by Indian Council of Philosophical Research, New Delhi to work on the project “Religious Identity and the Concept of the Other”.
SHRI ANSHU GUPTA
Anshu Gupta, popularly known as the Clothing Man is the Founder of an Indian based nonprofit – Goonj. He was conferred with "Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award" by Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship in 2012. He won the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2015.
SHRI PRAVEEN DABHOLKAR
An engineer by qualification, he has devoted more than three decades of his life as life-worker for the cause of humanity. He has worked extensively in the North East, established VKIC, and under his supervision, the work of Vivekananda Kendra in Guwahati initiated and went towards excellence.
SHRI JAYANT SAHASRABUDHE
Jayant Sahasrabudhe is National Organising Secretary at Vijnana Bharati. Vijnana Bharati or VIBHA, previously known as Swadeshi Science Movement, is a non-profit organization in India that works for the popularization of sciences in a nationalist manner.