12th January - arrived and left – without much excitement. (We had excitement in our family because it is also my second daughter’s birthday). I wonder how many people know that it is the birthday of Swami Vivekananda. Interestingly, his birthday is celebrated as “Youth Day” in India. But the youths of Tamil Nadu would rather remember 12th December for it is the birthday of their “superstar”. Vivekananda is just not a star. He is the space. That is his contribution to Hinduism and India.
He was born in the year 1863. Though he did not live up to 40 (he died on 4th July 1902), he has made very significant contribution to the Hindu religion. He single-handedly highlighted the strength of this religion to the western world that till then thought Hinduism is casteism and has barbaric customs and beliefs. At the same time, he did not confine himself to Vedas and Upanishads. In fact he even said, “You can reach heaven by playing foot ball than by reading Bhagawad Gita”. By this, he wants people to act rather than just to read the holy texts. Most of us know his popular saying, “Arise, Awake and Stop not till the goal is reached”.
He had a focus on education. He was instrumental in establishing the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru. He said, “Education is not collection of facts but concentration of mind”. How true? In our education system, we spend our time mugging up. We know the currency of Turkey or the Capital of Brazil. But we do not have practical knowledge. We often learn from the businessmen that even the so-called “professionally qualified” people lack “employment skills”. Whose fault is this? We just want to pass the examination and do not want to be knowledgeable.
Vivekananda heavily emphasized the importance of character in men. He said, “If you do not allow a person to become a lion, he would become a fox”. In the name of age and position, we exploit our younger generation and constantly intimidate them. We do not practice a value system. It has become more of a life of convenience. Where is character?
Vivekanada’s books are published by Ramakrishna Math. I strongly urge everyone to buy and read those books and benefit. I have had the privilege of studying in Vivekananda College, Chennai and I consider that as the corner stone of my life.
Mahatma Gandhi said, “My whole life is an effort to bring into actions the ideas of Vivekananda”. We can not be Mahatma in our daily life. But let us at least take the effort in this path.

He was born in the year 1863. Though he did not live up to 40 (he died on 4th July 1902), he has made very significant contribution to the Hindu religion. He single-handedly highlighted the strength of this religion to the western world that till then thought Hinduism is casteism and has barbaric customs and beliefs. At the same time, he did not confine himself to Vedas and Upanishads. In fact he even said, “You can reach heaven by playing foot ball than by reading Bhagawad Gita”. By this, he wants people to act rather than just to read the holy texts. Most of us know his popular saying, “Arise, Awake and Stop not till the goal is reached”.
He had a focus on education. He was instrumental in establishing the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru. He said, “Education is not collection of facts but concentration of mind”. How true? In our education system, we spend our time mugging up. We know the currency of Turkey or the Capital of Brazil. But we do not have practical knowledge. We often learn from the businessmen that even the so-called “professionally qualified” people lack “employment skills”. Whose fault is this? We just want to pass the examination and do not want to be knowledgeable.
Vivekananda heavily emphasized the importance of character in men. He said, “If you do not allow a person to become a lion, he would become a fox”. In the name of age and position, we exploit our younger generation and constantly intimidate them. We do not practice a value system. It has become more of a life of convenience. Where is character?
Vivekanada’s books are published by Ramakrishna Math. I strongly urge everyone to buy and read those books and benefit. I have had the privilege of studying in Vivekananda College, Chennai and I consider that as the corner stone of my life.
Mahatma Gandhi said, “My whole life is an effort to bring into actions the ideas of Vivekananda”. We can not be Mahatma in our daily life. But let us at least take the effort in this path.
