India celebrates National Youth Day on January 12 every year, honouring Swami Vivekananda, a great philosopher and champion of youth empowerment. Born in Kolkata on this day in 1863, his vision continues to inspire millions of young minds. Since 1985, the Government of India has marked this day as National Youth Day, which also begins National Youth Week.

This year, the annual National Youth Festival (NYF) on January 10-12 at Bharat Mandapam, will undergo a transformative reimagining as the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue. The event is organised by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and will offer young Indians the chance to interact directly with national leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This initiative is designed to involve youth in governance and nation-building, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a “Viksit Bharat” (developed India) by 2047.

PM Modi said, “Youth power is both the agent of change and the beneficiary of change.” Youth will be key to achieving a developed India by 2047. The Viksit Bharat initiative aims to harness their creativity, energy, and ideas for the nation’s growth.

A key feature of the festival will be the Viksit Bharat Challenge, a four-stage competition designed to uncover and nurture young talent. The stages are:

• Viksit Bharat Quiz: A digital quiz on the Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) platform, testing participants’ knowledge of India’s progress. (Launched in 2023, the MY Bharat platform empowers youth by offering equal opportunities to achieve their goals. It connects them with tools and resources to help build a developed India.)
• Essay/Blog Writing: Winners will write essays on topics such as “Tech for Viksit Bharat” and “Empowering Youth for Viksit Bharat.”
• Viksit Bharat Vision Pitch Deck: Participants will pitch their development ideas at the state level.
• National Championship: State winners will present their ideas in New Delhi, with a chance to share their vision with the Prime Minister.

The festival will involve around 3,000 youth from various backgrounds, including

• Innovators and thinkers from the Viksit Bharat Challenge.
• Talented youth from state and district-level festivals, showcasing their skills in painting, science, and cultural performances.
• Youth icons from sectors like sports, technology, and entrepreneurship.

The event will also feature –

• Viksit Bharat Exhibition: A display of youth-focused projects from states and ministries.
• Interactive discussions with national and global leaders.
• Cultural performances and exhibitions celebrating India’s heritage.

New Delhi:

As the nation celebrates the Digvijay Diwas, honouring the legacy of Swami Vivekanand and commemorating his historic speech in Chicago, here is a throwback on how his historic address, 131 years ago, inspired Narendra Modi to embark on a journey of self-discovery to the Himalayas.

It was on September 11, 1893, that Swami Vivekanand delivered his timeless speech at the Parliament of World’s Religions in Chicago.

His words not only introduced the world to India’s rich spiritual heritage but also inspired countless individuals in future generations, one of whom was a 17-year-old young boy – Narendra Modi.

Modi Archive, a popular X handle narrating the life journey of the Prime Minister via its archives shared an old photo of Narendra Modi on Wednesday and informed about what impact Swami Vivekanand’s speech had on his young, impressionable mind.

Narendra Modi was so inspired by Swami Vivekanand’s teachings at such a young age that he left his abode in Vadnagar for the Himalayas, on a journey of self-discovery.

The popular X handle also shared a photo of Narendra Modi, from a wedding ceremony in his village, just a day before leaving for the Himalayas.

131 years ago, on September 11th, 1893, #SwamiVivekananda delivered his timeless speech at the Parliament of World’s Religions in Chicago. His words not only introduced the world to India’s rich spiritual heritage but also inspired countless individuals in future generations, one… pic.twitter.com/3XNvOpviwP

— Modi Archive (@modiarchive) September 11, 2024

It also informs that the young Narendra Modi got to know and understand Swami Vivekanand’s works from Dr Vasantbhai Parikh, a local native of his village.

It was 131 years ago that Swami Vivekanand delivered his memorable speech at the Parliament of World’s Religions in Chicago and left the world stunned with knowledge of ancient Hindu scriptures and a visionary outlook.

To date, the speech is remembered by every Indian as path-breaking and also a landmark moment in the history of inter-faith dialogue as it introduced Indian spirituality and the Vedas to the Western world.

PM Modi has time and again spoken about the impact of Swami Vivekanand’s teachings on his life and has often reflected in his years of public service.

This year, after concluding the whirlwind tour of the country for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi spent two days meditating on the rocks at Swami Vivekanand memorial in Kanyakumari.

The memorial was named after Swami Vivekananda as he sat there to meditate after his India tour. It was here in Kanyakumari that Swami Vivekanand is understood to have got the vision of modern India.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow in the Kolkata Uttar Lok Sabha seat in support of BJP nominee Tapas Roy on Tuesday evening touched three destinations associated with three iconic personalities of the state — Maa Sarada, Subhas Chandra Bose, and Swami Vivekananda.

The Prime Minister first reached the residence of Maa Sarada, the wife and spiritual consort of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, at Bagbazar in North Kolkata.

After offering floral tributes, the Prime Minister also interacted with the monks residing there.

After that, the roadshow reached the Shyambazar five-point crossing where he garlanded the statue of Subhas Chandra Bose.

Moving on from there, the roadshow ended in front of the residence of Swami Vivekananda on Simla Street.

From Shyambazar to Simla Street, the Prime Minister travelled in an open-hood vehicle, accompanied by state BJP President Sukanta Majumdar, leader of opposition in the Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, and the party candidates from Kolkata Uttar and Dum Dum Lok Sabha constituencies, Tapas Roy and Shilbhadra Dutta, respectively.

The roadshow drew a massive response with thousands of people gathering on both sides of the road as the Prime Minister waved at the crowd throughout the journey.

Political observers view the move to start the roadshow from Maa Sarada’s residence and end it at Swami Vivekananda’s residence as a political masterstroke by the Prime Minister, given the recent statements made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accusing a section of the monks associated with the Ramakrishna Mission, Bharat Sevashram Sangha, and ISKCON of acting on BJP’s behalf.

The Chief Minister’s comments evoked strong criticism from all sections of the society in Bengal, with the Prime Minister accusing her of making attempts to please her party’s dedicated vote bank.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)