VK-NARDEP is an integral project of Vivekananda Kendra Kanyakumari. It was started in 1986 inspired by Indic vision of the seers: Isavasyam idam Sarvam - All Existence is permeated by Divine & Swami Vivekananda's clarion call to uplift the downtrodden masses. VK-NARDEP combines traditional wisdom and modern science and provides cost-effective alternative holistic solutions to the problems of modern living - especially for the rural communities.

VK-NARDEP went in quest of locally available alternatives. The traditional knowledge bases dominated grand temples, which stand even today, sans mortar and steel rods, after centuries of ravages of time. Today that knowledge is being rediscovered in the Cost-effective Housing Technology movement that has prouted throughout India started by organisations like that of Laurie Baker and Auroville etc.

The salient features of such houses are avoidance of excessive use of cement and steel and usage of locally available material. The innovative shapes of doors, windows and domes lend aesthetic appeal and beauty to these “Love-able, Live-able and Afford-able” homes. These are economical in terms of embodied energy and leave lesser eco-footprints.

The aim of VK-nardep is to revive the traditional cost-effective green architectures and bring together the various such architectural pluralism and the engineering as well as ecological knowledge embedded in these technologies. The ultimate aim is to reduce the cost of building as well as arrest green house gas emission in the constructions undertaken in a community with the aim of reduction by 10-12 percent.

Promoting the Indigenous Medical systems

Based on ancient indigenous knowledge systems that take a holistic study of health focusing on physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being. Documentation, Conservation and promotion of the indigenous health systems of Siddha, Ayurveda and ethno medicine.

Indigenous and effective siddha system of Marma/Varma which is indigenous and well flourishing in South Tamil Nadu has been for the first time studied effectively in the very first National Conference on the therapeutic dimensions of Marma/Varma system organized by VK - nardep.

Achievements of VK-NARDEP in Biogas technology

More than 2000 biogas plants have been installed by VK-NARDEP. A national survey of biogas plants taken up and based on the study VK - nardep came up with cost-effective and flexible small volume fixed dome biogas plants. Brought out user manuals for engineers, masons and end-users in English, Tamil and Hindi Developed a package of biogas slurry based technologies which integrate the biogas system with the agro-ecosystem.

The same philosophy of holism guides the approach of VK-NARDEP to sustainable agriculture also. Its approach is not piece-meal approach but a united approach to the problems of the farm as a whole and is particularly specific to the small farmers who are today facing the brunt of increasingly cost-intensive and energy-intensive ‘modern’ agriculture.

In sustainable agriculture, VK-NARDEP uses a five fold approach in developing the suitable technologies for the farmers.

Community based efforts of water management

A scarce yet vital resource like water cannot be left to the machinery of the state alone. WATER IS EVERYONE'S BUSINESS. Community effort is needed to revive age old traditional water conservation methods and harmonize them with the modern water conservation techniques. VK-NARDEP activities in this field involves:

• Deepening of Ooranis (Ponds)
• Renovation of traditional water harvesting structures
• Artificial Rain Water Recharging
• Roof Water Harvesting

Yoga, Personality development programmes

An important part of all activities of VK-NARDEP is inner sustainability. It is also the manifest-theme in the motivation camps as well as other eco-technology camps, that are held frequently in our campus. This noveland holistic approach to inner sustainability has won the appreciation of many government agencies as well as NGOs. So this year also several such motivation workshop for the officials of the TIIC (Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation) was conducted by VK-NARDEP at its TRC.