Nivedita dedicated soul for service to humanity

Kolkata, Nov 13:Among the list of great women of India, the name of one woman stands out for dedicating her life to the cause of India and Hinduism in spite of being born in the Western world. 

She was Sister Nivedita who left her home on Swami Vivekananda’s one call to devote her entire life to India’s service and whose contribution to the promotion of national consciousness and re-establishment of Dharma is immeasurable in the annals of Indian history. She has been described as ‘Lokmata’ by Rabindranath Tagore, ‘Lioness’ by Swami Vivekananda, ‘Agnisikha’ or flame of fire by Sri Aurobindo, ‘Champion of India’ in England and ‘Sister’ by all the people of India. Born as Margaret Elizabeth Noble on October 28, 1867 at Dungannon in Ireland , she was more popularly known as sister Nivedita. She was an Anglo-Irish social worker, who was one amongst the many disciples of Swami Vivekananda. She came across Swami Vivekananda in the year 1895 in London. It was the Swami, who called her by the name "Nivedita". The word Nivedita is used to refer to someone who is highly dedicated to the almighty God. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee unveiled a Blue Plaque Plaque at Sister Nivedita's family home at Lndon on Sunday, where she lived before moving to India in 1898, to commemorate her 150th birth anniversary. The London Blue Plaque Scheme, run by the English Heritage, links major historical figures and the buildings in which they lived or worked. Ms Banerjee has been invited as the chief guest at a programme in Sister Nivedita's family home in Wimbledon. Recognising Nivedita's contribution to social work, the English Heritage decided to install a Blue Plaque at her family home to commemorate her 150th birth anniversary. Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said she felt privileged and honoured to attend the programme. "There is an emotional and cultural relation between India and Britain. Calcutta (now Kolkata) was India's capital for long years when you (the British) ruled us. Calcutta is the cultural capital of India. There is a deep emotional and cultural bond between London and Kolkata," Ms Banerjee said.
"Today I was present in the Blue Plaque unveiling ceremony of Sister Nivedita’s family home in Wimbledon, London," the chief minister posted on her social networking page. "It is indeed a historic and proud moment for all of us. Later I took part in a programme where I was invited to deliver the keynote address on Sister Nivedita," she said. Present in the occasion were Cllr. Marsie Skeete, Mayor of Merton, Anna Eavis of English Heritage, Swami Suhitananda of Ramakrishna Mission, our Chief Secretary, Deputy High Commissioner, UK and a host of dignitaries, Ms Banerjee said. "I presented a statue of Sister Nivedita and Swami Vivekananda to the Mayor for Wimbledon History Museum," she said. UNI