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Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Kochi the first Kendra in the state of Kerala was started on 17th August 1970 and was formally inaugurated on 9th September 1970 by the late Hon'ble former Vice President of India Dr. G S Pathak. Having begun in a modest rented building, the foundation stone for the Kendra's own building was laid by the late Hon'ble former President of India V V Giri on 2nd February 1972.
Situated in the heart of Kochi city at T D Road, Ernakulam, the majestic three storey building houses the offices of the Chairman, Hon. Secretary cum Hon. Treasurer, Director, Chief Finance Manager, Deputy Manager, a Book division, Accounts Department, HR Department, Education & Research wing, Civil Department, Sardar Patel Sabha Griha (air conditioned auditorium with seating capacity of 650), Conference hall etc.
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kochi one of the largest Kendra of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan has achieved enviable growth during the last 50 years with several educational, social and cultural institutions having been set up in and around Kochi under its aegis.
At present, the Kendra manages:-
Bhavan Kochi now has nearly 1000 teachers and staff on its roll and has more than 15000 students. All these institutions are functioning very well and recording excellent performance in education. Our seven schools have links with schools in the UK to promote international outlook in addition to conducting national and international student exchange programmes.
Social activities have also been high on the Kendra's list. Bhavan's Mahila Vibhag, since inception, has contributed for the upliftment and empowerment of the under privileged. Reviving Indian Culture and sowing its seeds in the youth of today is yet another facet of the Kendra, being achieved through Kalabharati, various cultural programmes etc.
NEWS & EVENTS
The Kochi Kendra honoured around 400 student achievers who won laurels in sports, fine arts, quiz, literary competitions and science exhibitions at the International, National, Zonal and State level.
During the function organised at the Sardar Patel Sabha Griha, Chairman C A Venugopal C Govind emphasised that it is the dedication and diligence of the students in their chosen area of interest, combined with the earnest efforts of their trainers, which enable them to achieve optimal results.
Director Sri E Ramankutty and Education Officer Smt Vijayalakshmi offered felicitations and congratulated the students. Certificates of Commendation were distributed to all achievers.
Bhavan’s staff members who completed a quarter century and a decade of service with the organisation were also presented with the ceremonial silver and bronze lamps, respectively.
37th All Kerala Inter School Science Quiz Competition
The 37th All Kerala Inter-School Science Quiz, hosted by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kochi Kendra, was held on February 28, 2024, in connection with National Science Day at Sardar Patel Sabha Griha, Kochi, under the theme ‘Indigenous Technologies for Vikasit Bharat’, paying homage to Sir C.V. Raman’s ground-breaking discovery of the Raman Effect. The formal function commenced with a prayer, followed by a captivating video presentation titled ‘A Saga of Science’, showcasing the remarkable contributions of scientists throughout history.
Dr. Akshay Subramanian, a renowned figure in the quizzing circuit, served as the esteemed quiz master, guiding participants through intellectually stimulating rounds, and 22 schools from across the state participated in the event in both the Junior and Senior categories.
Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir Elamakkara clinched the coveted first prize at the Senior level. Bhavan’s Adarsha Vidyalaya emerged a winner at the Junior level.
Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir Girinagar secured the second place in both the categories. Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir Elamakkara and Bhavan’s Adarsha Vidyalaya, Kakkanad, secured the third prizes in the Junior and Senior Category, respectively. Shri E Ramankutty, Director of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kochi Kendra, distributed the certificates, cash prizes and trophies to the winners.
The Kendra, on January 27, 2024, hosted a captivating Bharata Natyam recital led by the renowned classical dancer Dr. Kanaka Krishna Prashanth and her disciples from Chennai. The thematic performance, titled ‘Shanmatha Sthapaka Sankara Sankara,’ delved into the profound teachings of Adi Shankara, focusing on his establishment of the mathas. The visionary concept of the performance was conceptualised by Dr. Uma Subramaniam, while both the music score and choreography were masterfully executed by Dr. Kanaka Krishna Prashanth.
Shri Deepak Parekhji, Trustee, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai and former Chairman HDFC visited Bhavan’s Kochi Kendra on January 18, 2024 and addressed the Bhavan’s fraternity at Kochi.
In his hour long address, Shri Parekhji endorsed the future potential of India and emphasised the need to increase the country’s GDP. He was optimistic about this in the context of pragmatic policies, structural reform agenda, discipline in the financial sector, political stability that the country enjoys and the excellent diplomatic relations that India has been able to build with various nations.
The session was attended by the of members of Kendra Committee, members of Education and Research wing, heads, teachers & staff of all the institutions under Kochi Kendra and students of Bhavan’s Royal Institute of Management, Ernakulam.
All Kerala Inter School Quiz competition
The 37th Bhavan’s MKK Nayar Memorial All Kerala Inter School Quiz competition was held on February 1, 2024 at the Sardar Patel Sabha Griha, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kochi. The topic for this year’s edition of the quiz was Transcending Boundaries—The Indian Space Programme.
Dr. Akshay Subramanian, one among the top 15 quiz masters in India, led the quiz, keenly contested by 17 schools from across the state.
Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir Elamakkara represented by Sarang L V and Kashinath Menon emerged the winners of the event and bagged the ever rolling trophy, cash award of Rs. 10,000/- and certificates.
Sandra Susan Manu and Aneeta Jolly of Bhavan’s Munshi Vidyashram, Tripunithura secured the second place, cash award of Rs. 7,500/- and certificates.
Third place winners Dev Nand Santhosh and Srihari Muralikrishnan of Bhavan’s Newsprint Vidyalaya, Velloor won a cash prize of Rs 5000/-.
Shri E Ramankutty, Director, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kochi Kendra distributed the certificates, cash prize and trophies to the winners.
The birth anniversary of Kulapati Dr. K. M. Munshi, the legendary founder of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan was commemorated by the Kochi Kendra with the 5th edition of the Kulapati Dr. K. M. Munshi Memorial Oration. This year’s annual oration by the Chairperson of M.S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and former Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr Soumya Swaminathan on ‘Lessons from the Pandemic’ was held on December 29, 2023.
Dr. Swaminathan’s eloquent address emphasised the imperative need for resilient health systems, echoing the sentiment that timely decision-making is paramount, especially at the local level.
Furthermore, she advocated prioritising public health and emphasised the criticality of government-led strategies aligning with public health priorities.
The oration was attended by the members of the Kendra committee and education and research wing, heads of all institutions under Kochi Kendra, teachers, staff and other invited guests and well-wishers.
Sri Jagdish Lakhani, Joint Executive Secretary and Registrar, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai addressed an assemblage of educators and academicians, on December 16, 2023, at the Sardar Patel Sabhagriha, Kochi. Members of the Management, Education Officers, Chief Coordinator— Programmes, Academic Coordinator, Coordinator of Bhavan’s Education and Research Centre, other officials at the Kendra Office, Heads of Institutions under the Kendra and teachers of the Bhavan’s Schools, Colleges and Management Institute, were in attendance.
Shri Jagdish Lakhani spoke at length about Munshiji’s vision and his firm belief that education and culture were intertwined and that the two could not be practised independently. The Bhavan works collectively for the promotion of education, culture and social service. The Bhavan is unique; it delivers not just education, but also success, values, passion, compassion, secularism and respect for the nation, he said. It works towards creating the finest minds. He reiterated that the onus is on the teachers to give the right guidance to the children so that the purpose of education is not lost in the contemporary world. Kochi Kendra, he said, was a reflection of what Bhavan ought to be; it took the lead in promoting and propagating the ethos of the Bhavan and the Kendra was indeed the flag bearer of Munshiji’s vision.