Swami Vivekananda considered education the panacea for all social evils. According to Swamiji what was wanted then in India in the early 20th century ‘was not a man, but a woman – a real lioness – to work for the Indian, women specially’. His dream for the lioness was over when Sister Subbulakshmi, fulfilled the vision of Swami Vivekananda in the field of women’s education. She sowed the seeds of Sri Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Vidyalaya, which has now grown into a huge banyan tree which sheltered and has been sheltering countless girls and women.
In early 1938, Rao Bahadur C.Ramanujachariar suggested bringing Sarada Vidyalaya under Ramakrishna Mission for its growth and development. Considering her age and the seriousness of the mission on hand Sister R.S. Subbu Lakshmi wanted to hand over the schools to Ramakrishna Mission and the members of the Sri Sarada Ladies Union agreed to that. On 02.05.1938, Akshaya Thrithiya Day, Sarada Vidyalaya was handed over to Ramakrishna Mission. Smt Swami Saswathanandaji Maharaj, the then president of Ramakrishan Math became the president of the Managing Committee of the school. Sri. Ramanujachariar became the correspondent, Maharishi Vasudevachariar became the treasurer and the supervisor. Sister Subbulakshmi became the Secretary and with 10 members the Managing Committee of Sarada Vidyalaya was established.
Under the RamaKrishna Mission with its motto of selfless service in the worship of the Divine, Sarada Vidyalaya blossomed into a vast educational complex in Thyagaraya Nagar, Chennai. Today it boasts of two Higher Secondary Girls Schools, a Middle School and a Primary School all State-Aided. Directly managed and financed by the Mission is a Matriculation Higher Secondary School. In addition there is a Girls Hostel for the students of Sarada Vidyalaya and a Working Women’s Hostel.
1938 Sarada Vidyalaya was handed over to Ramakrishna Mission.
1940 Sri RKM SV Girls' Hr. Sec. School was born with Forms I to IV and 150 students in thatched sheds.
1946 Sri RKM SV Hr. Elementary was upgraded to Middle School. Henceforth called Sri RKM SV Middle School.
1946 Sri RKM SV Secondary Grade Training School was started.
1956 Sri RKM SV Training School was converted to basic training.
1963 Sri RKM SV Girls' Hr. Sec. School, Science Block was built to mark the birth centenary of Swami Vivekananda.
1972 The Sri RKM SV Basic Training school was closed. Classes 1 to 5 were separated as Sri RKM SV Primary School on Mahalakshmi Street, T.Nagar, Chennai. Classes 6 to 8 were upgraded as Sri RKM SV Model High School on Burkit Road, T. Nagar, Chennai.
1979 Smt. Kokila Kalastri, retired Headmistress of Sarada Vidyalaya Basic Training School became the Secretary.
Sri RKM SV Girls' Hr. Sec. School was upgraded into Higher Secondary status.
1981 Sri RKM SV Model High School was converted to Higher Secondary status.
1986 Sri S.K. Sivaraman became the Secretary of Sarada Vidyalaya.
Sri RKM SV Matriculation School was started with classes LKG to II std.
1990 Sarada Vidyalaya celebrated its Golden Jubilee Year.
1996 A.S. Rajammal succeeded Sri S.K. Sivaraman as Secretary. She was a very popular and known figure in the educational field. She was a disciplinarian and an able administrator.
1999 The first floor of the main block at Sri RKM SV Matriculation School was opened by Revered Swami Gautamanandaji Maharaj. The school was upgraded into Matriculation syllabus with the opening of Std VI.
2000 Diamond Jubilee Celebrations were conducted very grandly in Sarada Vidyalaya.
2003 The teachers and students with great reverence celebrated Sri Sarada Devi 150th Birth Anniversary.
As a part of the celebrations, the second floor of the main block at Sri RKM SV Matriculation School was inagurated by Revered Swami Gautamanandaji Maharaj.
2012 Teachers and students of Sarada Vidyalaya with great reverence celebrated Swami Vivekananda’s 150th Birth Anniversary.
2014 SRKM SV Middle School has been recommended for the “BEST SCHOOL AWARD” for the year 2014- 15 by the Assistant Elementary Education Officer of Education Department of Govt of Tamil Nadu.