Grand Swami Vivekananda memorial to come up in Belgaum

A grand Swami Vivekananda memorial structure would come up in Karnataka's district headquarters town of Belgaum where the founder of Ramakrishna Math had stayed for a short-period in 1892.

Karnataka Cabinet today decided to allot to Ramakrishna Mission 150 ft by 80 ft plot belonging to the Belgaum City Corporation free of cost to build the memorial, which would also house a centre to impart moral education for youth.

Briefing reporters after a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S Suresh Kumar said the place where Vivekananda had stayed for four days -- which was later declared as a heritage building -- became so famous that delegates attending the AICC session in Belgaum in 1924 made it a point pay a visit there for "inspiration".

The Central government has expressed keenness to join hands to build the memorial structure, an initiative of the Ramakrishna Mission, and said it would provide Rs 10 crore for the building, according to the Minister.

Kumar said the Government is mulling to invite President Pranab Mukherjee -- who is slated to soon inaugurate the Suvarna Soudha near Belgaum, built on the lines of Vidhana Soudha in Bangalore -- to lay the foundation stone for the memorial structure.