Blessed are they whose bodies get destroyed in the service of others said by Swami Vivekananda. Exemplar persons of this sayings were founders of the Sri Sarada Institutions, Yatiswari Sarada Priya (Mrs.Seethalakhmi Ramaswamy) and Srimath Swami Chidbhavananda. The idea of women empowerment is still in vogue now. But it was ideally adopted by Yatiswari Saradapriya Amba through education under the guidance of Swami Chidbhavananda.
SRIMATH SWAMI CHIDBHAVANANDA
Swami Chidbhavananda a great spiritual master and dynamic harbinger to humanity and the society. He was initiated into the Ramakrishna order first as Brahmachari and later as a sannyasin in the twenties of Swami Shivananda, popularly known as Mahapurusji Maharaj, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Swamiji established the Ramakrishna Tapovanam and developed it into a great spiritual, cultural and educational movement enveloping the entire Tamilnadu. In 1955 Swamiji founded Sarda Samiti which is a convent of women sannyasinis under the presidentship of Tapovanam. It devotes itself to women empowerment.
Swamiji was greatly instrumental in establishing Sri Sarada Educational Institutions in Salem District. He was the president of Sarada educational institutions from 16.06.1961 to 16.11.1985. These institutions strive to create a balanced development of Head, Heart, and Hand. An adhered disciplinarian himself guides Yatiswari Sarada Priya in leading the Sarada Educational institutions in the prosperous path. Among the Sarada Institutions Sri Sarada College of Education was the apple of his eyes, as it focuses on preparing the future social engineers.
YATISWARI SARADAPRIYA AMBA
A true leader is one who knows the way, shows the way and goes the way….
The great leader and the founder directress Yatiswari Saradapriya Amba (Seetha Lakshmi) was born and brought up in a very rich and noble family at Tirupur, Tamilnadu. She was married to Sri. S.V. Ramaswamy Chettiar, a highly qualified Bar-at-law and later the Deputy Minister of Railways and Commerce in Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet. She had the abundant grace and blessings of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi which arouse a concern in her for social and educational service. A journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step. Likewise, the present huge Sarada family started with educating two children in her own bungalow in 1955. Now Sarada family comprises of 3 colleges, 4 higher secondary schools, and three elementary schools
A befitting Acronym for Amma is
S – Stalwart
A – Assertive
R – Radiant
A – Adorable
D – Dedicated
A – Affable
P – Philanthropic
R – Remarkable
I – Illustrious
Y – Yogic
A – Altruistic.
Such a prestigious and luminous personality devoted her entire life with all her riches to the yeoman service for the Salem people.
SRI SARADA COLLEGE EDUCATIONAL TRUST
The College is managed by Sri Sarada College Educational trust run by a band of Yatiswaries of the Holy Order. Sri Sarada Samithi which is a unique voluntary organization with a mission of service to the cause of women, dedicated to the mission of charity, service, literary and education in the name of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi.
The present president of the college is Srimath Swami Shuddananda
Present secretary of the college is Yatiswari Vinayakapriya Amba.
