President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurates the Vivekananda Memorial Building in Kalahandi on Sunday. Governor S.C. Jamir accompanied him. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 30: President Pranab Mukherjee today said that the message of Swami Vivekananda was to serve the common people by treating them as manifestations of God.

Inaugurating the Vivekananda Memorial Hall at Sri Ramakrishna Mission at Rampur in Kalahandi district today, the President said Jiva is seva — each individual is divinity itself —was the insight that Swami Vivekananda received from his guru Swami Ramakrishna Paramahansa and this was the message he taught the world.

The memorial project was a part of the commemorative programmes taken up worldwide to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. The first floor of the hall was constructed at a cost of Rs 1.01 crore.

Lauding the efforts of the Ramakrishna Mission in Kalahandi, Mukherjee said Swami Vivekananda had said that a country’s future depended on its people and the education they received.

By taking up projects to impart education and training to the people of backward areas, the ashram was fulfilling the goals set by the seer.

Among others, governor S.C. Jamir, finance minister Pradip Amat, Pranab’s son Abhijit, local MP Arka Deo and ex-MP Bhakta Charan Das spoke on the occasion.