Awards & Prizes

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From 2026 onwards, Sarvamangala Society has introduced a unique programme of awards to encourage young people to undertake the demanding and valuable practice of memorising scriptural texts in their entirety.

Why memorisation?

Memorising a substantial text word-for-word is far more than an exercise in rote learning. It requires sustained attention, repeated retrieval, concentration, disciplined practice and the ability to retain and accurately reproduce a large body of information over an extended period.

Scientific research on memory and learning has shown that deliberate retrieval practice can substantially strengthen long-term retention and learning. Repeatedly recalling information from memory is generally more effective for durable learning than simply rereading or restudying it.

Intensive memory training can also strengthen specific aspects of working memory and memory performance, although research cautions against assuming that such training automatically produces broad improvements in general intelligence or every area of cognition.

For young people in particular, the sustained practice involved in memorising a major scriptural text can cultivate valuable habits and capacities, including:

• Memory and long-term retention — developing the ability to encode, store and retrieve large amounts of information.

• Concentration and sustained attention — maintaining focused attention over prolonged periods.

• Mental discipline — developing the patience and consistency required to practise something repeatedly over months or years.

• Verbal and linguistic ability — becoming intimately familiar with vocabulary, syntax, rhythm, pronunciation and the structure of a sophisticated text.

• Accuracy and attention to detail — learning to reproduce material precisely rather than approximately.

• Retrieval ability — strengthening the ability to recall information without relying on external prompts.

• Learning skills — developing effective methods of repetition, association, chunking and spaced practice.

• Confidence and perseverance — experiencing the achievement that comes from mastering a demanding intellectual discipline.

Sarvamangala Society therefore sees scriptural memorisation not merely as the preservation of religious texts, but also as a demanding form of intellectual training combined with the transmission of cultural and spiritual heritage.

Awards

The Trustees of Sarvamangala Society have approved the following awards:

1. Bhagavad Gita and equivalent scriptures — CHF 5,000

A prize of CHF 5,000 (approximately INR 600,000 / 6 lakhs) is awarded to a young person aged 0–18 years residing in Switzerland who successfully memorises the entire Bhagavad Gita by heart.

For young people belonging to other religious traditions, an equivalent foundational scripture may be memorised. Examples include the Tattvartha Sutra for Jains or the Bodhisattvacaryavatara for Buddhists.

The purpose is to recognise exceptional commitment to the memorisation and preservation of an important scriptural text, irrespective of religious or spiritual tradition.
 

2. Lalita Trishati — CHF 108

A prize of CHF 108 (approximately INR 12,500) is awarded to young people aged 0–18 years residing in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Nepal or India who successfully memorise the entire Lalita Trishati by heart.
 

3. Lalita Sahasranama — CHF 250

A prize of CHF 250 (approximately INR 30,000) is awarded to young people aged 0–18 years residing in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Nepal or India who successfully memorise the entire Lalita Sahasranama by heart.
 

Assessment and Award Ceremony

The awards are presented once a year at an annual award ceremony, which takes place both online and offline (hybrid).

Before an award can be granted, each candidate's memorisation is assessed by a jury of three experts. The purpose of the assessment is to establish that the text has genuinely been memorised and can be reproduced accurately without assistance.

The assessment requires the candidate to reproduce the complete text from memory. Candidates are permitted up to three mistakes during the recitation.

Candidates who do not successfully complete the assessment in a given year may attempt the examination again the following year.

Through these awards, Sarvamangala Society hopes to encourage a new generation of young people to discover the extraordinary discipline of memorisation, while at the same time preserving and transmitting the world's great scriptural traditions.