Vivekananda’s ideals remain roadmap for nation-building: PM Modi exhorts youth

Mysuru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called upon India's youth to dedicate themselves to nation-building through service, innovation, education and discipline, saying fulfilling Swami Vivekananda's vision of India was the responsibility of the present generation. Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Youth Centre (Viveka Smaraka) at the Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama here, Modi said the memorial should nurture young people who place the nation above self and draw inspiration from Vivekananda's ideals of service and sacrifice. This Centre marks a new expansion of Ramakrishna Mission's work. Highlighting India's transformation, he said the country's youth, once constrained under colonial rule, were today driving global development. "Today, India is the world's fastest-growing major economy. Who has made this possible. The capability of India's youth. Youth of India are giving impetus to the development of the world," Modi underlined. He credited young Indians for making the country the world's fastest-growing major economy, the third-largest startup ecosystem, the second-largest mobile phone manufacturer and an emerging leader in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, deep technology and space technology. Referring to the recent launch of a privately developed Indian rocket, PM Modi said it reflected the growing capabilities of the country's young innovators. "Fulfilling the vision of India that Swami Vivekananda dreamed of is the responsibility of today's generation. I am confident that Viveka Smaraka will serve as a powerful source of inspiration and energy for that mission," he said. Recalling his association with the Ramakrishna Mission, the PM said the organisation had played a significant role in shaping his life and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to once again interact with monks of the order. "Mysuru had been a centre of India's timeless cultural consciousness," he said about the Karnataka city. He noted that Swami Vivekananda's association with the city and the support extended to him by the then Maharaja of Mysuru had played a key role in the swami's journey to the West. Quoting the principle "Shiva Jnane Jiva Seva" (serving humanity is serving God), he said the Viveka Smaraka should inspire youth to place the welfare of the poor and the nation above personal interests. He said initiatives such as Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India were succeeding because of the strength of India's youth and stressed that young people required the right opportunities, guidance and confidence to realise their dreams. Appealing to the youth, Modi urged them to strengthen the commitment to cleanliness, conserve natural resources and save every drop of water. "We have to work in mission mode to conserve water," he said. Listing achievements in the education sector over the past 12 years, Modi said more than 650 universities, nearly 14,000 colleges, over 4,000 ITIs, nine IIMs, seven IITs and 13 AIIMS had been established, while MBBS seats had increased to around 1.4 lakh and the number of medical colleges had risen to 823. The National Education Policy 2020 was preparing students for the 21st century, while over 14,000 PM SHRI Schools and more than 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs were promoting innovation and scientific temperament. Stressing equality in education, Modi said girls were now joining institutions such as the National Defence Academy and students could pursue medical and engineering education in their mother tongues, reducing language-based barriers. The Prime Minister also underlined the importance of sports in nation-building, saying programmes such as Khelo India, Youth Games, University Games, Para Games and Winter Games, along with expanding sports infrastructure, were helping identify talent from villages and small towns, resulting in improved performances in international competitions. He also called upon the younger generation to deepen their engagement with Kannada literature, describing Karnataka as the land of great writers and poets, and encouraged people to support local artisans by gifting Mysuru's handicrafts, sandalwood products and traditional crafts. According to an official statement, the Viveka Smaraka commemorates Swami Vivekananda's historic visit to Mysuru in November 1892 during his journey across India. During his stay, Vivekananda delivered discourses, interacted with scholars and devotees, and received the patronage of Maharaja Sri Chamarajendra Wadiyar X, whose support enabled his journey to the Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, it said. Established at the historic Niranjana Math, the Viveka Smaraka is spread across a built-up area of over 81,000 square feet and comprises a main building and an annex block. "It houses a 4-D Experience Centre, an exhibition hall, an amphitheatre with a seating capacity of around 700, classrooms, conference rooms, a library, a reading room, a meditation and yoga hall, and a book stall. The centre also includes dedicated facilities for students preparing for competitive examinations," it said. Dedicated to the life, message and ideals of Swami Vivekananda, officials said that the Cultural Youth Centre aims to serve as a vibrant hub for value-based education, leadership development and personality building. It is expected to benefit more than 10,000 students from nearby educational institutions, as well as urban and rural youth, through lectures, workshops, short-term courses and capacity-building programmes inspired by Swami Vivekananda's philosophy of nation-building and character development, the statement added.