The headquarters of Vijnana Bharati in the national capital moved to a new destination at South Extension I on 7 February.
With the inauguration of its new four-storeyed office-cum-residence building — ‘Jayant Smriti’, the Vijnana Bharati enters a new phase with a plush office, reception, meeting rooms, conference hall, guest house, parking, pantry and what not.
The headquarters — ‘Jayant Smriti’ — has been named in loving memory of the late Shri Jayant Sahasrabudhe, the former national organising secretary of VIBHA, who had spearheaded the relaunch of SCIENCE INDIA magazine in its new avatar in 2020. It was he who nurtured the idea to have a central office of VIBHA in New Delhi, which would be a hub of all activities, besides a home for the karyakartas.
Addressing the ‘Lokarpan’ samaroh in the evening at Gandhi Smriti Darshan, Rajghat, Akhil Bharatiya Karyakarini Sadasya, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Suresh Soni said, “Every entity on earth needs one’s own place to live, which we call home. So is with institutions, which has led to the setting up of this Karyalaya of VIBHA. As a pracharak, Jayantji gave a new direction to VIBHA and with this karyalaya being named after him, will keep him alive in our memory.
“VIBHA can act as a bridge for connecting traditional and modern science, and also between the society, science, humanity and innovation,” he added.
Complimenting VIBHA office bearers and team for the new headquarters, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh said this new karyalaya was a befitting tribute to Jayantji.
Remembering his association with Jayantji, the minister said, “Jayantji was a very hard worker, who took it to the level of perfection. VIBHA can play a significant role in presenting our traditional and exclusive scientific knowledge to the world, as India’s image as a scientific nation has now changed. We are no longer following others, but we are leading.”
NITI Aayog member, Dr VK Saraswat said, “For the last 40 years, VIBHA has been working towards the scientific development of the nation and reaching out to the grassroots. This new karyalaya will be an active place for brainstorming and taking science to rural India.”
VIBHA’s secretary general, Vivekanand Pai said, “It was Jayant Rao’s dream to have a karyalaya of our own which would serve as VIBHA headquarters. He wanted that the karyalaya should be a home for every karyakarta. VIBHA’s first office in Delhi was set up at Defence Colony and from there we moved to Gulmohar Park, and now we are at South Ex. This dream of his has been fulfilled in a year’s period and we have dedicated this karyalaya to Jayant ji.”
Naming the VIBHA headquarters after late Shri Jayant Sahasrabudhe, whom people fondly remember as ‘Jayant Rao’ or ‘Jayant ji’, is a befitting tribute to this towering personality, who was an epitome of knowledge, wisdom, compassion and visionary leadership.
