Swami Vivekananda death anniversary: Naidu, Shah and others pay homage to 'tallest spiritual leader' of India

Swami Vivekananda death anniversary: A Bengali intellectual and the chief disciple of the Hindu mystic Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda first shot to fame at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, where he called for tolerance and the end of religious fanaticism on 11 September, 1893.

Born on 12 January, 1863 in Kolkata, he was named Narendranath Datta at his birth. He acquired the name Swami Vivekananda after he becoming a monk. He died at an early age of 39 years on 4 July, 1902.

Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Mission at Belur Math on the banks of the River Ganga near Kolkata.

On his death anniversary today, Vice President M Vekaiah Naidu paid his tribute to the monk. “He was a towering genius whose keen intellect, vast knowledge and supreme oratorial skills made him one of the tallest spiritual leaders of India,” wrote the vice president.

Naidu also said that youth of India should read, assimilate and follow the teachings of Swami Vivekananda.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah described Vivekananda as a saint, a great thinker and an extraordinary speaker, who not only reinforced the spirit of nationalism in India, but also fostered the entire world with qualities of Indian culture.

“He had a great faith in the ability and transformational power of the youth and he believed that only the youth will give the right direction and power to the development of the nation in the times to come. His ideals still inspire the youth to serve the nation”, the home minister tweeted in Hindi.

Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh also remembered Swami Vivekananda on his death anniversary. “His message to the youth was simple yet impactful ‘See for the highest, aim at that highest, and you shall reach the highest,’” Singh tweeted.

IFS officer Parveen Kaswan too paid homage to Swami Vivekananda.

On 11th September 1893 “Swami Vivekananda gave famous speech at Chicago. You know how this place looks like now. These are stairs of Chicago Art Institute where Swamiji’s 473 words are still illuminating. Still registering relevancy. Tribute on his death anniversary,” Kaswan wrote.