THE BLIND BOYS’ ACADEMY IS THE BRAINCHILD OF SWAMI LOKESWARANANDAJI MAHARAJ

The Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama was previously located at Pathuriaghata in North Calcutta, with a Students’ Home. A blind student, Sri Bhabani Prasad Chanda, wrote to Swami Lokeswaranandaji Maharaj in 1952/53, that he had passed the Matriculation Examination and needed accommodation in Kolkata to continue his higher studies. Revered Maharaj approved his appeal and allowed him to stay at the Students’ Home free of cost. Shri Chanda completed his B.A (Honours) and M.A in History from the University of Calcutta. In the meantime, the Students’ Home was gradually shifted to Narendrapur in 1956, previously known as Ukhila-Paikpara. A few other blind students had also joined in the Students’ Home at Narendrapur following Shri Chanda. In 1957, Maharaj dreamt about the establishment of the Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys’ Academy with these handful of blind boys and in this way, the journey of the Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys’ Academy was started.

Swami Lokeswaranandaji Maharaj was eager to utilize the skills and enthusiasm of Shri Chanda and made him the first Principal of the Blind Boys’ Academy in 1957, with a handful of students under the Directorate of Public Instruction, Govt. of West Bengal.