January 12: National Youth Day  

The National Youth Day is observed every year on 12 January to mark the birth anniversary of social reformer, philosopher and thinker Swami Vivekananda.
Observance of the day seeks to propagate the philosophy and the ideals of Swami Vivekananda for which he lived and worked.  It will also help and act as a great source of inspiration for the Indian Youth.
Several functions are being organised across the country to mark the occasion. To celebrate this day, the 21st National Youth Festival was held in Rohtak, Haryana. The theme this Festival was ‘Youth for Digital India’.

About Swami Vivekananda

• Swami Vivekananda was born as Narendranath Dutta on 12 January 1863 and died on 4 July 1902. He and was chief disciple of the 19th century saint Ramakrishna Paramhamsa.
• He was one of the most prominent figures of India who introduced Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the “Western” World.
• He is credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion during the late 19th century.
• He is also considered as the major force in the revival of Hinduism in India, and contributed to the concept of nationalism in colonial India.
• He is best known for his speech which began, “Sisters and brothers of America …,” at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893 in which he introduced Hinduism.
• This speech was considered as one of his most significant contributions to the world and was a breakdown of the ancient philosophy of Hindusim, aided with logic and impeccable scientific insight.

Month: Current Affairs - January, 2017