Boarders of Ramakrishna Mission Students’ Home study at the hostel. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Ramakrishna Mission Ashram is doing for decades what even governments and many reputable private schools have not been able to do: help develop economically backward students.

At present, Ramakrishna Mission Students’ Home, the boys’ hostel run by the ashram, provides free residential facilities to 15 such children who get free training in music, painting, yoga, computer as well as their course subjects, including humanities, science, mathematics among others.

Though the foundation stone of the boys’ hostel was laid in 1927, the hostel was closed between 1954 and 1956 due to financial reasons before re-opening in 1957. Today, Ramakrishna Mission Students’ Home just speaks of its achievements. From noted Hindi writer Phanishwar Nath Renu to former Patna College principal P.N. Tiwari — the list of glittering boarders is endless.

“In order to fulfil our aim to develop the overall personality of a boarder, we have focused on their vocational training. They are trained in vocational courses weekly while subject teachers have also been engaged. Apart from this, the students also receive religious training with Gita reading session daily. They are made mentally tough and spiritual,” said Swami Ekdevananda, the assistant secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, Patna.

Boarders are also being taught how to become self-dependent. “On Sunday, they prepare their own food while on other days we serve them breakfast, lunch and dinner. This system has been developed to make the boarders self-dependent. Besides, the students also clean floors of their rooms on a regular basis. They also clean the temple surroundings every morning. The students follow a strict routine at the hostel which helps them to learn the value of time,” said Shambhunath Sharma, a volunteer at the hostel.

No wonder, the boarders are a happy lot. Premjeet Kumar, a Class VI student of East and West School, said: “Initially, I did not like it at all but now I have understood the importance of time.” His father is a driver and the only bread earner in his family. Premjeet wants to be a doctor.

Golu Kumar, a 10-year-old boarder, said: “The best thing about our hostel is that we get free training in computer, music, painting among other subjects.”

“Students who left this boys’ hostel long ago have made it a point to revisit it,” said Swami Satyapriyananda, the secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Ashram here. But students don’t get an easy entry here as they have to take a written test as well as interview. “We have kept two criteria for admission. First, the student must belong to an underprivileged family and second he would have to clear an admission test, including written test and interview for getting admission,” he said.