World Workers’ Conference @ Chinmaya Vibhooti

Dec 27-31, 2012

Summary by Ashok Dandekar

The Master

Conference Objective:

Discuss and decide how Pujya Gurudev’s Birth Centenary (May 8, 2015 – May 8, 2016) will be celebrated

Approx 150 attendees representing centers in: India

USA/Canada

UK/Europe

Australia/New Zealand

Africa

Hong Kong/Singapore

Nepal

Sri Lanka

WWC Highlights

7:00 – 8:00 am: Guruji’s talk on Shree Chinmaya Namamruta Stotram

9:30 – 10:30 Presentations from different CM organizations/centers

11:00 – 12:00 Presentations from different CM organizations/centers

4:30 – 5:30 Discussions in regional Groups on Chinmaya Birth Centenary

Celebration (CBCC)

6:30 – 8:00 Cultural program by Chinmaya Naad Bindu (CNB)

9:15 – 12:00 (on Dec 31 only) Vishnu Sahasranama Archana

Daily Program

Presentations on activities by: Central Chinmaya Mission Trust (CCMT)

Chinmaya Publications

Chinmaya International Foundation (CIF)

Chinmaya Vibhooti

Chinmaya Archives

Chinmaya Organization for Rural Development (CORD)

Chinmaya Naad Bindu

Chinmaya Institute of Management (CIM)

Chinmaya Mission Hospital (CMH)

Countries and Regions:

Chinmaya Mission West (CMW), Canada/Trinidad, UK, Australia/New Zealand, Hong Kong, Africa, Nepal and Sri Lanka

Presentations

Apex body of CM

Set policies, guidelines for all centers and CM organizations

# Centers in India: 270; # Centers Abroad: 75

# Acharyas: 300; # Seva Trusts: 36

# CM Schools: 81; # CM Colleges: 7

New courses: YEP, Purohita, Many e-courses (CIF)

CORD in India, USA, Sri Lanka

CM Hospital in Bengaluru

CCMT Teams: Accounts; Admin/Legal; Archives; Balavihar; IT; Video Dham; Marketing; Publications; Upanishad Ganga

IT: Servers, PCs, Network Back-ups, N/W security; Facebook; Twitter; YouTube; Website; e-Books

Chinmaya Publications: 1231 titles

Summer internships available

CCMT

1988: Dr. Kshama Metre, started working in the villages around Sidhabari

2003: CORD was formed to take the rural work nationally

Vision: Harness human resources and enable the poor to transform their lives through programs driven by themselves

Objectives: To address poverty; gender and social injustice; community health; education and life skills thru Community Based Organizations

Impact so far: 4 states (HP, TN, AP, Odisha), 650 villages; half a million beneficiaries

600 Mahila Mandals, 23,000 members

Microcredits, Financial Literacy, Yuva Mandals, Purush Kisan Mandals, Adult literacy, Health, Sanitation, Hygiene, Rehab for disabled, Lok Adalats, 265 Panchayats, Computer literacy, orphanages, Non-farm and service sector (handlooms, sowing/stiching)

Kshamaji: Padmashree, Guardian International Development Achievement awards

CORD in India, USA, Sri Lanka

Summer internships available

CORD

CORD Self Help Groups for Microcredit & Financial Literacy

Non-Farm & Service Sector

Health, Sanitation & Hygiene

Gender and Social Injustice

Convention center (Retreat) near Pune

Chinmaya Jeevan Darshan: museum, exhibition blending arts, history, and technology

Land: 60 acres;

Accommodation: 1,100;

Auditorium with 1,008 seats and state of the art A/V equipment

Total cost: Rs. 20+ crores.

Used for camps, YEP, training programs, corporate retreats; professional lecture series; used by CM schools, colleges, and institutes; CNB events, CM centers hold events.

Very busy place. Average 5-6 events per month

Chinmaya Vibhooti

Chinmaya Vibhooti

CIF established in 1989 as a research center for advanced studies in Sanskrit and Indology

Located at the birthplace of Adi Shankarcharya at Veliyanad Kerala, 8.3 acre plot

Fully furnished library, computer center, residential accommodation

Activities:

Critical edition of Brahma Sutras with Shankara Bhashya with English translation, notes

Sukti-sudha, a compilation of proverbs in Sanskrit literature

Vada-kosha, a compendium of ancient Indian Philosophical tenets

Sansk-net a national network for data base of Sanskrit Classics

Sanskrit Home Study Course, Vedanta Home Study Course

Anusaraka or Natural Language Processing (NLP) by computer

Collection, preservation, digitalization and publication of rare palm-leaf and other manuscripts

E-Sanskrit and E-Vedanta Course

Debt of Rs. 4 crores

CIF

CBCC Theme: UNTO HIM OUR BEST Guruji’s Message: Celebration focus will be Movement centered

rather than Event centered. Our offerings to Gurudev will be:

Love Thyself Each center needs to raise funds to build infrastructure, expand,

become debt-free as appropriate

Love Thy Neighbor Help neighboring mission centers to grow by sharing acharya, providing

guidance or help their projects as appropriate

Love Thy Mother Help projects run by CCMT such as CIF, Upanishad Ganga subtitles and

dubbing in regional languages etc.

Promote Chinmaya Publications. Sell more books, audios, videos

Promote on-line courses

2015: All acharyas to donate bhiksha to CCMT

Guruji’s Message

Discussion groups’ suggestions approved by Guruji Chinmaya Jyoti in India, UK, and USA

Geeta chanting competition: local, regional, national

Chinmaya Family Quiz (on one volume of special Mananam)

Walkathon for CBCC (including local causes)

CIF debt-free

Upanishad Ganga (Sub-titles and dubbing)

Om in every Home (Ghar Ghar mein Paduka puja)

Mini Chinmaya darshan (exhibition)

Promote mission books as gifts

Translations of selected books of Gurudev (for hotels, motels)

CCCB Activities

CMDFW will be involved in various activities Chinmaya Jyoti in USA – Sw. Sarveshanandaji is in charge.

Geeta chanting competition: local, regional, national – Sw. Sharananandaji is in charge of planning. We will follow his lead.

Walkathon for CBCC (including local causes) – We hold annual walkathon event.

CIF debt-free: We will donate $25K this year.

Upanishad Ganga (Sub-titles and dubbing): Our share $10K.

Om in every Home- Our acharyas will conduct paduka puja.

Mini Chinmaya darshan (exhibition) – Sw. Sarveshananda will guide.

Promote mission books as gifts – We all need to participate.

CMDFW Participation

CMW pledged the following: CIF currently has a debt of Rs. 4 crores

CMW centers pledged to help CIF pay off their loan

Each US center has pledged to donate certain amount to CBCC

This amount will be paid towards paying off CIF debt

Upanishad Ganga TV series is produced in Hindi Broadcast on Doordarshan (DD) channel every Sunday

Total of 52 episodes

Has become very popular

There is a demand to dub it in regional languages

Estimated cost for dubbing in 1 language is Rs. 7-8 lakhs

Total estimated dubbing cost: Rs. 50-60 lakhs ($100K)

Several US centers pledged to donate $10K each

CMW Pledge for CBCC