Questions have been raised over the removal of a historic memorial plaque installed by the Ramakrishna Mission at a site in Batti Bazar, Laban, Shillong, associated with Swami Vivekananda. Malabika Bisharad, who has been campaigning for the preservation of the memories of eminent Bengali personalities who visited Shillong, has urged authorities to protect the historic site and establish a permanent memorial dedicated to Swami Vivekananda.
In a letter addressed to the secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission, Shillong, Bisharad expressed concern over the removal of the plaque. She said that on September 11, the 133rd anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s historic Chicago address, she visited the memorial at around 6.30 pm at House No. 115 in Batti Bazar, Laban, where Swami Vivekananda had stayed in April 1901.
According to the letter, the historic plaque, which had been installed by the Ramakrishna Mission in 1963-64 during the birth centenary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda, had been removed. The historical information inscribed on the plaque was found lying by the roadside, while construction work had been undertaken at the spot where the plaque had stood.
Bisharad questioned the need to remove the historic plaque and said it could instead have been repaired, renovated and preserved at an appropriate location, including the Vivekananda Cultural Centre.
She said the original house where Swami Vivekananda stayed in April 1901 had been demolished several years ago. A tin structure has subsequently been erected at the site by Rupak Roychowdhury, she claimed.
According to Bisharad, Swami Vivekananda had stayed at the residence of Shri Kailash Chandra Das at the site around 125 years ago, making it an important historical heritage location. She alleged that the memorial plaque, which served as significant evidence of Vivekananda’s stay there, had now been removed in connection with plans to install a statue of Swami Vivekananda at the site by the Ramakrishna Mission and others.
Bisharad also claimed that the property is currently under dispute. She said she met Rupak Roychowdhury, who resides at House No. 115, on September 11 and was informed that the construction at the site had been undertaken following verbal discussions and that there were no legal documents supporting it.
The letter further stated that on July 23, 2026, the Principal Secretary to the Governor of Meghalaya had inspected the site along with Bisharad. She claimed that the Governor was interested in preserving the historic location associated with Swami Vivekananda.
Bisharad has appealed to the Ramakrishna Mission to initiate discussions with both parties involved in the dispute and explore the possibility of purchasing the entire property. She also suggested seeking assistance from the Meghalaya government and Lok Bhavan, Shillong, if necessary, to develop a memorial dedicated to Swami Vivekananda on the lines of the memorial at Kanyakumari.
She expressed disappointment over the removal of the historic plaque, saying it represented an important piece of evidence linking Swami Vivekananda to the site. She urged the authorities to ensure that the historical significance of the location is preserved and protected for future generations.