Campaign with a social message to take off today

On the occasion of the 154th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, ‘Vivek Band 2017’, a youth campaign will be organised by Samartha Bharata Trust from January 12 to 26.

Vikas College advisor and Sahyadri Engineering College Associate Professor Anant Prabhu told reporters in Mangaluru on Tuesday that the campaign is being organised with the motto ‘Be good - Do good’.

Vivek bands

The youth will wear ‘Vivek bands’ on their wrists to inspire others to be a part of social activities such as Samartha Bharatha which this year, has the theme CAMBA (Corneal Andhatva Mukta Bharata Abhiyan) of Sakshama, a non-governmental organisation for the specially abled. Eye donations will be promoted as the ‘do good’ activity for 2017, he said.

Union HRD minister Smriti Irani, Dr D Veerendra Heggade, Adichunchanagiri mutt seer Nirmalanandanatha Swami, Sri Sri Ravishankar of Art of Living, former Lokayukta Justice Santhosh Hegde and actor Lakshmi Gopalaswamy have endorsed Vivek bands.

Vivek bands have been made available at several retail outlets across the state from January 5. The list of stores has been put up on www.samarthabharata.org and www.vivekband.com. One can give a missed call to 8792662262 to get their ‘Be good do good certificate’.

Booths for messages

BJP district Yuva Morcha president Harish Poonja has said that the morcha will conduct Vivek band campaign in the 1,766 booths of the district. The booths spread the messages of Swami Vivekananda and conduct programmes of wearing Vivek bands. A convener and co-convener will be appointed in every booth.