Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture Gol Park, Kolkata

This centre, established in 1938 elsewhere and finally moved to its present premises in 1961, has a threefold aim:
(a) Proper interpretation and appraisal of Indian culture,
(b) Promotion of mutual understanding between India and other countries, and
(c) Promotion of the study of the cultural heritage of India and of humankind.

From a modest beginning, the Institute has now grown into a centre of learning and research, recognized by many esteemed educational centres. It has drawn the interest of the public as well as many leading scholars of India and other countries.

Activities:

1. The main library: Comprising general, junior, and children’s sections with an air-conditioned reading room, it had 3,06,197 books and 427 periodicals, in addition to 24,000 periodicals accessible online.
2. The school of languages: Teaching 6 Indian languages (Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit, Pali, Tamil, and Urdu) and 15 foreign languages, viz. Ancient Greek, Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Tibetan, with a significant number of students on the roll. Computer courses and coaching classes for civil service aspirants were also conducted. It has a separate library with 8864 books, 172 magazines, 92 periodicals, and a reading room.
3. The research department Centre for Indological Studies and Research: It is engaged in research work, both at the pre- and post-doctoral levels, and offers courses on the following subjects: (i) Indology (Bharata-tattva), (ii) Functional Sanskrit (preliminary and intermediate levels), (iii) Vedanta for Beginners, (iv) Higher Vedanta, (v) Fundamental Concepts of Indian Philosophy, (vi) Major Religions of the World, and (vii) Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Movement.
4. An audio-visual mobile unit: It screened an educative film in several rural and urban areas, benefiting communities with exposure to educational content.
5. A museum and art gallery: It has a good collection of paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, folk arts, ivory paintings, textile, pata painting, litho prints, silver ornaments, terracottas, laminated photographs, and the like. This unit also houses Sarada Devi School of Fine Arts and Crafts that conducts courses on painting, appreciation of Indian art, Dhrupad classical vocal, yogasanas, floral decoration, South-East Asian art and culture through the study of Ramayana, and workshops on watercolour wash painting. 526 students attended these courses during this year.
6. An International House for guests.
7. A unit of Gadadhar Abhyudaya Prakalpa.
8. A coaching centre for children, mostly from SC and ST communities, at Rajendrapur (North 24 Parganas).
9. Publication of the English monthly Bulletin (76th year) and the multilingual The Beacon of the School of Languages (3rd year). Books on Ramakrishna-Vivekananda and other religious subjects were also published.
10. Study circles and Balak Sangha (at 239 places).
11. Conferences and seminars for youths, teachers, and guardians, weekly personality development classes (Vivekananda Anushilan classes).
12. Welfare work: Providing milk, and pecuniary, medical, and educational aid.