Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Kanpur

Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama is the Kanpur branch of the Ramakrishna Mission. The Ashram runs a charitable hospital, a senior secondary boys' high school and a library beside other charitable works.

History
The founder of Kanpur, "Ramakrishna Seva Sadan" (now known as Ram Krishna mission Ashram) was Nepal Maharaj, known as Nepalda alias "Master Moshai". His family name was Shri. Nepaleshwar Banerjee. He settled in Kanpur along with his two younger brothers, Gangadhar Banerjee, an architect and civil engineer, known as Gangada, and the youngest brother, Shri Khagendra Nath Banerjee, a technocrat, known as Khagen Babu, at a stone throw distance to the R.K. Mission ashram at R.K. Nagar Kanpur. Gangadhar Babu constructed their residential house at 110/204, G.T. Road, R.K. Nagar.

Nepal Maharaja was the founder of Kanpur Ram Krishna Seva Sadan, and founding Secretary of the Kanpur Ram Krishna mission.

The Ashram at Kanpur started at Raja Manzil, Birana Road, in the 1920s. The Ashram was called ‘Ramakrishna Seva Sadan’, and Srimat Swami Vijnanananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, first visited this group. Ramakrishna Seva Sadan was moved to a new address at Aga Kothi, Ram Narayan Bazar, and was affiliated with the Headquarters at Belur Math in 1931. The Ashrama was now officially ‘Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama’.

Location
The Ashrama was transferred to a new place in Raja Manjil, Ram Narayan Bazar. In 1931, it became affiliated with Belur Math. Due to financial constraints, the Ashrama was shifted first to Anwarganj and then to the present site on 13 August 1937 in Gumti No. 5, on a land measuring 1.5 acres, donated by the Kanpur Improvement Trust. The locality in which Ashrama is situated was later named ‘Ramakrishna Nagar’.

Activities

 * Govt. Aided Senior Secondary High School for boys – The Ashrama used to run a school named ‘Vivekananda Vidyapith’ in a small building. In 1947, construction started on a new building just across the main campus, and this became the Ramakrishna Mission School. In 1983–4, the school was designated ‘Best School’ by the Uttar Pradesh State Government. The Senior Secondary High School is affiliated with the U.P. Board and has 800 students. The Ashrama conducts free coaching for the poor in the evening.
 * Charitable Medical Dispensary – The Ashrama started a charitable dispensary in a room. It later became known as ‘Baba Ka Hospital, Hospital of the sadhus’. The Ashrama has allopathic and homeopathic sections. It has a physiotherapy unit, pathology laboratory, and x-ray unit that are attached to the dispensary, with general practitioners and specialists operating for free. ECG investigations are carried out by technicians and doctors. A Mobile Medical Unit conducts camps in general health and eye check-up.
 * Public library – The library was inaugurated in 1967 by Sri C. B. Gupta, then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. A Reading Room is attached to the library. There are 10 newspapers, 100 periodicals, and 31,400 books, of which 13,500 were on competitive examination in the Textbook section.
 * Philanthropic Activities – The Ashrama conducts a free daily-coaching centre for the poor. It also runs a Children Development Centre, which teaches and gives children clothes and study materials. It also conducts relief activities like the free distribution of blankets, clothes, and books. There is a Counseling Centre and Spoken English.
 * Vivekananda Samiti at IIT, Kanpur – Started in 1968 by the inspiration of the Ramakrishna Mission in Kanpur, the Vivekananda Samiti at IIT Kanpur has been operating for more than four decades. It is involved in spreading the message of Swami Vivekananda among students.