R.S.Venkat Ratnam

R.S.Venkat Ratnam, also known as Acharya Ratnananda, was born on Dec 8, 1924, in Ramanayakanpet in Tamil Nadu, India. He was born into a family of Gandhians engaged in the Indian freedom struggle.

Acharya Ratnananda completed his formal education from a convent school and studied the Vedas at home. He married Vishalakshi and had two children, Ravi Shankar (spiritual leader) and Bhanumathi Narasimhan. He encouraged humour and naughtiness in his children as much as he inculcated values and a scientific temper.

Though spiritual Acharya Ratnananda did not blindly follow rituals and superstitions. He believed in the Oneness of Divinity that manifested in many forms. He rejected the rigid separation made by the caste system in Hindu society. He believed that all individuals were created equal and had a right to education. This belief was mirrored in the way he approached Vedic education coupled with modern sciences in the schools that he helped start.

He was one of the founding members of Ved Vignan Maha Vidyapeeth and Vista India Charitable Trust, an institution dedicated to empowering women in rural Karnataka. He recognized that the welfare of society lies in the education and empowerment of women. Uragapura a remote village in Karnataka, had the first school and a vocational training unit started by him.

Acharya Ratnananda had a vast knowledge of the Hindu scriptures. He mastered Medical astrology. He taught his students through actions and not preach what he did not practice. An excellent scholar, Acharya Ratnananda was well versed in Sanskrit, Tamil and English, he had extensive knowledge on [Vedas]. He was prolific with the pen as well. His books " More Light on the Less Known" ( series ) explained the deeper meaning of India’s Vedic heritage, and "Tales for the Young and Old", an anthology of traditional Indian stories. He is known for his dedication for Humanity and his service for the nation.