Each year on January 12th, India commemorates the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda by observing National Youth Day. Also known as Swami Vivekanand Jayanti, the observance was first established as National Youth Day in 1984.
24th National Youth Festival
In honor of Swami Vivekananda’s birthday, the National Youth Festival is held annually as a gathering of young individuals partaking in a variety of activities, including competitive ones. The 2021 festival theme was titled ‘YUVAAH – Utsah Naye Bharat Ka’ and took place from the 12th to 16th of January. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, collaborates with one of the State Governments to organize the event.
National Youth Parliament Festival
Since 2019, the National Youth Parliament Festival (NYPF) has been organized as part of the National Youth Festival. Aimed at encouraging young individuals aged 18-25 to engage with public issues, understand various perspectives, formulate their opinions and express them aptly, the festival provides a platform for youth who can vote but are not eligible to contest in elections. Organized under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the event is mainly conducted by the National Service Scheme (NSS) and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS).
The inaugural NYPF festival was held from January 12th to February 27th, 2019, with the theme “Be the Voice of New India and Find Solutions and Contribute to Policy”. The second edition began in December 2020.
Swami Vivekananda: A Brief Biography
Born as Narendranath Datta on January 12th, 1863, Swami Vivekananda is best known for introducing the world to the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga. A leading disciple of the 19th-century mystic Ramakrishna Paramhansa, he championed education as a crucial tool for reviving India. Advocating for an education system focused on character and man-making, he laid significant emphasis on the same.
In 1897, he established the Ramakrishna Mission, an institution devoted to value-based education, culture, health, women’s empowerment, youth and tribal welfare, and relief and rehabilitation. He passed away at Belur Math in 1902, a place located in West Bengal, which now serves as the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math & Ramakrishna Mission.
Last Modified: February 10, 2024