Celebrating 50 Years of CHYK

The serene environment of Chinmaya Vibhooti, the vision centre of Chinmaya Mission, came alive between 21st and 23rd February 2025 with the fervour of 400 dedicated young-at-heart CHYK alumni coming together to celebrate 50 years of Chinmaya Yuva Kendra (CHYK), the youth wing of Chinmaya Mission. The three-day reunion offered a great opportunity to members of CHYK from yesteryears to congregate, converge and catch up over conversations to ‘Reconnect and Recommit’.The reunion—the collective efforts of former members of CHYK and current missionaries of the Chinmaya Movement—Swami Swaroopananda (Global Head of Chinmaya Mission), Swami Mitrananda, Swami Chidrupananda, Swami Swatmananda, represented by the AICHYK National Convenor Swami Anukoolananda, ably assisted by Br. Anand Chaitanya, Br. Sudheer Chaitanya, Br. Sanatan Chaitanya, Br. Ved Chaitanya, Brni. Bhakti Chaitanya, Brni. Taarini Chaitanya and numerous other swamins, brahmacharins and volunteers—was a mix of nostalgia, introspection and revitalisation..The Alumni Meet was inaugurated in a unique way—a lamp lit from the Chinmaya Akhanda Jyoti maintained at the Pranav Ganesh Mandir at Chinmaya Vibhooti was brought to the Sudharma auditorium in a procession. This lamp was placed at the altar of Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda on the stage. This lamp was used to light the inaugural lamp of the Meet by the first CHYK Secretary from 1975, Sri K. G. B. Gupta from Bengaluru, and representatives from other CHYK centres. Pujya Gurudev looked on from the altar with his benevolent smile throughout the proceedings of the 3-day programme. The participants, hailing from all corners of Bharat and a few representatives from overseas, engaged in an ice-breaking session that led to stock-taking of various activities at their Centres. The carefully curated sessions ensured that participants worked in state-wise teams generating practical, definite and actionable plans to go back and implement at their respective Centres..A presentation on global Chinmaya Mission by Manisha Khemlani, CEO of Central Chinmaya Mission Trust, provided a comprehensive glimpse of all activities of the Mission ranging from the various Vedanta courses underway in many Sandeepany Sadhanalayas across the country, to the major fund raising and outreach programmes embraced by the organisation, including rural development, the Chinmaya Vishwa Vidyapeeth university, crowd funding initiatives, and more. The morning sessions enumerated Pujya Gurudev’s vision for the individual, nation, spirituality, culture, missionary work and the organisation. Then followed break-out sessions which focused on CHYK development activities such as enrolling 50 Chyks per year at every CHYK centre across the country. This goal was also supported by capacity-building plans, such as creating 500 CHYK Sevaks. The state-wise teams engaged in multiple sessions to break down the goals into actionable plans for their Centres. The participants volunteered to contribute to and engage in various activities such as organising workshops and competitions to attract youth from schools and colleges to participate in activities planned for the 50th year such as social media campaigns (presently DIY50 or Digitally Inspired Youth), the 15th batch of the Youth Empowerment Programme and a nationwide quiz. Some common activities generated in group discussions included relaying the findings from the reunion to CHYK Alumni in their respective cities, conducting college talks, and inspiring youngsters in family and friends’ networks to participate in youth activities and even to attend the upcoming International Youth Convention (28-31 May 2025 at Chinmaya Vibhooti)..The state teams presented their collective plans to the larger audience. Teams learnt from each other about introducing various activities at their Centres. Most of all, there was a heart-to-heart connection. This was further amplified by a post-dinner Palkhi Yatra of Pujya Gurudev’s Padukas to the beautifully lit Sundaraangan where a campfire awaited the participants. Participants also came together to present a cultural programme that further enhanced camaraderie and teamwork.With a heartfelt valedictory programme the next afternoon, the alumni meet, which was poised to revitalise the CHYK movement, culminated on a satisfying note. Each one received a special gift—a small piece of Pujya Gurudev’s vastra—to be placed on one’s altar, along with a book of His letters.On a personal note, ‘Reconnect’ was a wonderful opportunity to meet contemporaries from my active days in CHYK. While it evoked nostalgia, it allowed me to connect with them from their current context in life—their careers, families and other social accomplishments. It also provided an opportunity to network with them to explore professional collaborations, besides getting inspired by their contributions to Chinmaya Mission and CHYK. I was amazed at the wide range of avenues made available to catch the attention of the digitally native youngsters of today.‘Recommit’ for me was the rekindling of my dedication. I recommitted to being regular with my sadhana of self-study. I have also committed to conducting CHYK classes and delivering college talks, workshops or seminars to spread the love and nourishment I received as a member of CHYK during my youth to youngsters today..(This is a personal account by Yatish Chandrasekhar, CHYK Bengaluru (1986-1993), CHYK Secretary of Bengaluru (1990-1992). Today, as a CXO Coach, Yatish enables transformation in senior executives by helping them lead with purpose, deepen business impact and expand their circle of influence. As a leadership facilitator, he helps teams and organisations overcome conflict and build collaborative teams.)

Celebrating 50 Years of CHYK

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