Modi, Rahul pay tribute to Swami Vivekananda

Various political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday paid tributes to Swami Vivekananda on his 154th birth anniversary, celebrated as the 'National Youth Day'.

"We offer salutations to great Swami Vivekananda and remember his powerful thoughts and ideals that continue shaping the minds of generations," the Prime Minister said in an official message here.

Gandhi also tweeted, saying he is remembering the Swami on the occasion of his birth anniversary.

"Remembering Swami Vivekananda today. His message to live fearlessly, with courage and strength of purpose will continue to inspire and guide us," Gandhi said.

Swami Vivekananda was born on January 12, 1863, in an aristocratic family in Bengal. His original name was Narendra Nath Datta.

He was the chief disciple of the 19th-century saint Ramakrishna and a key figure in introducing the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, in a message in Twitter, said that Swami Vivekananda made Indians realise their "true potential".

"I bow to Swami Vivekananda on his Jayanti today. He made the people of India realise their strength and true potential," Singh said.

In 1984, the government had decided to observe the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand as the National Youth Day.

Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu also paid his tribute to Swami Vivekanand.

"Paying my tributes to Swami Vivekanandaji on his birth anniversary. His principles and ideas continue to inspire us," Prabhu tweeted.

The Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party celebrated the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand as 'Yuva Sankalp Diwas'.

"Swami Vivekanand's teachings continue to be as much relevant and inspirational for the youth even today as they were 123 years ago when he spoke in Chicago," Delhi BJP unit chief Manoj Tiwari said here.

"It is so because Swami Vivekanand foresaw and understood the ever-growing aspirations of the youth and therefore stressed on the development of such qualities in the youth which make them avid learners and teachers," Tiwari said.

--IANS

aks/nir/vt