India is all set to celebrate National Youth Day 2024 to honour Swami Vivekananda whose birth anniversary falls on 12th January 2024. This year Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 27th National Youth Festival at Nashik, Maharashtra on 12th January and will address the youth of the nation. This day is widely celebrated with joy and enthusiasm as Swami Vivekananda played a crucial role in shaping modern India. The Government of India officially declared it as National Youth Day in 1984, and since 1985, it has been celebrated across the country.
National Youth Day holds great significance as it aims to share the thoughts and principles of Swami Vivekananda among the youth of India. It serves as a means to awaken the enduring energy of the youth and encourage their significant efforts towards the development of the country.
Swami Vivekananda contributed to the revival of modern Hinduism and inspiring nationalist consciousness during colonial rule but he is best known for his famous 1893 speech where he introduced Hinduism to the Western world in Chicago.
National Youth Day – Why is it celebrated?
National Youth Day is celebrated to honour the birthday of Swami Vivekananda, a prominent Indian philosopher and spiritual leader. He played a very important role in spreading the message of Indian spirituality and philosophy at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893.
His teachings emphasized the importance of education, self-confidence, and the spiritual development of the youth. Swami Vivekananda believed that the youth of a nation were the key to its progress and prosperity. The day serves as a platform to inspire and empower young people, encouraging them to contribute positively to society. Various events and activities were organized on this day to motivate the youth of the country to strive towards the development of India.
National Youth Day – History
This day is widely celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Vivekananda and to inspire the country’s youth with his philosophy and ideals. The goal is to motivate young people to contribute to the betterment of the nation by embracing Swami Vivekananda’s way of life and ideas. In 1984, the Indian Government announced that January 12, the birthday of Swami Vivekananda, would be celebrated as National Youth Day. This celebration serves as a positive way to energise the youth and promote the development of the country.
National Youth Day Activities
National Youth Day is celebrated across all schools and colleges in India where the activities involve parades, speeches about Swami Vivekananda, recitations, music, songs, conventions, Yogasanas, essay-writing competitions, seminars, sports, and more. Various performances are conducted nationwide and internationally to promote education, art, lifestyle, and trust among the youth. Government agencies, non-profit organizations, and corporate groups celebrate the day in their unique ways.
