The birth and growth of Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Puri is very much similar to many centres of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, the global organization. Sri Ramakrishna left His mortal frame in 1886. About 40 years later, in 1925, a humble endeavour was taken to form an organization in the name Sri Ramakrishna in Puri. It was started as a form of Library by the local devotees and admires of Sri Ramakrishna at the residence of late Harendra Chandra Chatterjee, a pleader of the local bar and a devotee of Sri Ramakrishna. In 1927 Sri Kanailal Pal of Kolkata donated a sum of Rs. 2500/- for constructing a permanent building for the library in commemoration of his wife Late Durgarani Pal. Fortunately in the same year a piece of land measuring 0.20 acres in the Balukhanda Khasmahal situated in the central place close to the sea beach was then available for settlement and the then collector of Puri was kind enough to grant lease of it at an annual rent of Rs. 40.00. The construction of the library building on the same plot was completed by 1932. Then the library was removed to the new building from Chatterjee’s house. Later late Navakrishna Chowdhury, former Chief Minister of Odisha helped cordially to Swami Jnanaswarupananda (Moni Maharaj), the then Asst. Secretary of the Ashrama to get the vacant land adjacent (back side) of the library.Before construction of Ashrama building Moni Maharaj used to stay in a building on the sea beach near Harihar Chwak. The building with a piece of land was donated to the Mission by the wife of Late Bhutnath Roy. Later the land was sold in the year 1970–71.

Hence this organization was being managed by the devotees and admires since 1925. Sometimes it was confronted with difficulties. So the committee kept earnest prayer to authority of Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission for its affiliation. Accordingly it was affiliated in February, 1944. Its first monastic secretary was Swami Riddhanandaji Maharaj in 1965. Veering round the Library other socio-spiritual activities were started. Besides library, the Ashrama maintains a Students' Home accommodating 75 ST boy students, a mobile medical unit and a host of philanthropic work like weekly rice distribution to the poor, distribution of saris and blankets in the winter, relief work in flood and cyclone affected areas etc.

The year 1956 was a landmark in the History of the Ashrama, when the idea of a short-stay Home as an experiment to accommodate 20 poor but meritorious students mostly from the back-ward sections of society was conceived of and materialized. The future of the experiment was so re-assuring that it finally grew to a Students' Home which now accommodates school-going 75 ST boy students of the state enjoying free boarding and lodging. Besides regular study, the students are given training in type writing and computer. At that time it was the only Students' Home in the state run by Ramakrishna Mission.

The Ashrama, in the holy land of Lord Jagannath, is very much blessed with the holy visits of Presidents, Vice Presidents and many senior monks of the order at different times. The Ashrama remembers the holy visits of Rev. Srimat Swami Ranganathanandaji Maharaj in the year 1966. Then being at the developing stage, the living condition of the Ashrama students was not so good. But he was greatly pleased with the students of the Ashrama and had arranged steel plates, cots, bed-sheets etc. for all the students (50 students) of the Ashrama. After that also he had visited the Ashrama many times and had addressed the public of Puri town in different public meetings.

The most memorable year for the Ashrama was the year 1974 (Sept.) when the 10th President of the order Most Revered Srimat Swami Vireshwaranandaji Maharaj visited the Ashrama and blessed some local devotees through initiation for the first time in the Ashrama premises. Though afterwards Srimat Swami Bhuteshanandaji Maharaj, Srimat Swami Ranganathanandaji Maharaj, Srimat Swami Gahananandaji Maharaj, Srimat Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj, Srimat Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj, Swami Gitanandaji Maharaj, Swami Gautamanandaji Maharaj (then Vice-President of the Order) had visited the Ashrama either as President or Vice President and blessed the devotees through initiation.

Swami Vireshwaranandaji Swami Bhuteshanandaji Swami Ranganathanandaji Swami Gahananandaji Swami Atmasthanandaji Swami Smarananandaji Swami Gitanandaji Swami Gautamanandaji

After fifty years of its affiliation to Belur Math, in 1994, Golden Jubilee of this Ashrama and Centenary of Swami Vivekananda’s participation at Chicago Parliament of Religions were celebrated through different programmes (Youth Convention, Old Students’ Reunion, Public Meeting, Quiz/Speech Competition & Rally) and a special souvenir was published in each of the occasions of 175th Birth Anniversary of Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna, 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda and Centenary Celebration of the visit of Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi to the land of Lord Jagannath. The Ashrama in its present shape is engaged in serving God in Man.

Presidents and tenure:

Secretaries and tenure: