Sri Ramakrishna Vidyashala, Mysore

Sri Ramakrishna Vidyashala is a renowned residential pre-university college for boys located in Mysuru, India. Managed by the Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama, a branch of the Ramakrishna Math, the institution is dedicated to the educational vision of Swami Vivekananda. Founded in 1953 by Srimat Swami Shambhavananda Maharaj, a pioneer in education in southern Karnataka, the college provides a holistic "man-making education" that focuses on the physical, mental, and spiritual development of its students.

The college caters to students from standards VIII to XII. Its journey began as a small hostel in 1932, known as the Ramakrishna Students Home. This hostel housed notable figures such as K.V. Puttappa, Javare Gowda, and S.M. Krishna, who went on to become prominent members of society.

History and Infrastructure

Recognizing the need for a larger facility, Swami Shambhavananda collaborated with acclaimed architect Sri B.B. Mhatre to redesign the hostel. Despite facing significant challenges in fundraising, Swami Shambhavananda secured financial assistance from both the Union and state governments, as well as from generous donors in Karnataka and Bombay. The new hostel was officially inaugurated on October 2, 1950, by Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari, with Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar presiding over the ceremony.

Following the successful launch of the new hostel, Swami Shambhavananda transformed the building into a residential school in 1953 to provide a seamless educational experience for its students. In 1957, the institution's facilities were further enhanced with the inauguration of a 33.3-meter open-air swimming pool, one of the first modern pools in the city, by India's first Prime Minister, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.