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Commemorating Swami Vivekananda: Arise, Awake and stop not till the goal is reached

Published By : Admin | January 12, 2013 | 15:09 IST

Dear Friends,

12th January is no ordinary day. It is a day etched in the annals of history as a day when India was blessed with one of its most prolific thinkers, a guiding light and a man who took India’s message to the world. It was on this day, 150 years ago that Swami Vivekananda was born. Swami ji is no longer with us but his spirit, mission and his message live on- to date and continue to inspire generations of people.

I am glad to share that the Government of Gujarat has left no stone unturned to share Swami Vivekananda’s message to our people through the last year. We commemorated 2012 as “Yuva Shakti Varsh” and numerous initiatives and programmes were held to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. We are also continuing to commemorate 2013 as the ‘Yuva Shakti Varsh.’

Swami Vivekananda dreamt of an India that is at the pinnacle of world leadership, a Jagat Guru Bharat.  To create such an India, he saw a central role for the nation’s youth. In Gujarat, we took it on our shoulders to empower the youth of Swami Vivekananda’s dreams and strengthen them with every possible skill so that they get opportunities to shine and stretch themselves beyond their imagination to innovate and contribute towards the nation.

The Gujarat Government has taken the task of furthering skill development among our youth. We dedicated 20 Swami Vivekananda Superior Technology Industrial Training Institutes to encourage research and innovation through technology among our youth. Our efforts to improve the facilities in our ITIs too continued at a remarkable pace.

But, we did not stop at furthering skill development only! We went a step ahead and focused on soft skills. Why can’t a student who has trained as a plumber or a trainer in an ITI imbibe soft skills so that his or her confidence level receives a strong boost? Why can’t he or she imbibe soft skills so that employability increases? In July this year I launched eMPOWER to impart basic IT skills for our youth. The scale at which this initiative is underway must be seen to be believed! We also provide soft skills in our various ITIs.

A record of sorts was created in April 2012 when I handed over appointment letters to more than 65,000 youngsters across the length and breadth of the state during the Swami Vivekananda Youth Employment Week! Imagine the qualitative difference that would have been brought about in the lives of these youngsters.

“You will be nearer to God by playing football than through the study of the Gita!” Swami Vivekananda would say. Sadly, due to pressures of exams and education, I have noticed that the playing fields are always empty. How can the youth of Swami Vivekananda’s dream not enjoy the beauty of sports? It is a fact that there can be no sportsmanship without sport! It is even rightly said, “Jo Khele, Woh Khile” (The person who plays, shines).

During the course of the last year, nearly 16,000 Swami Vivekananda Mandals and Kendras were formed at the village, taluka and district levels where sports kits were distributed to youngsters. A world record was created when 4,000 women played chess under a single roof at the Swami Vivekananda Women Chess Meet in August 2012.

In order to spread Swami Vivekananda’s message to the youth and integrate them with the development journey, I embarked on the Vivekananda Yuva Vikas Yatra in September 2012 and I got a wonderful response from Gujarat’s Yuva Shakti. I firmly believe that the world’s most youthful nation cannot dream small - we not only need youth development but also youth-led development. This is what Swami Vivekananda envisioned and this is what we are seeking to do in Gujarat.

Those who are active on social media would have seen that every day, for the last 366 days I have Tweeted an inspiring quote of Swami Vivekananda. Similarly, the Google+ Hangout that was held in August last year was themed around creating the youth of Swami Vivekananda’s dreams. I am happy to note that both these ideas were appreciated far and wide.

Friends, it is a matter of happiness that the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda coincides with the 6th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2013. This year’s summit has drawn delegates from over 120 nations and we are focusing on knowledge, skill development and technology. This summit seeks not only to think about the development of the present but also to safeguard and power the future of our youth!

Swami Vivekananda has been a figure of inspiration to me personally as well and that is why I consider myself truly blessed that I have been able to make my small contribution in spreading his message to the people of my state. Once again, I pay my tributes to Swami Vivekananda and share my determination to continue working towards realising Swami Vivekananda’s dreams and integrating as many youngsters as possible with the unique development journey of Gujarat.

Yours,

Narendra Modi

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Kashi-Tamil Sangamam and a tribute to Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat
January 15, 2026

A few days ago, I was in the sacred land of Somnath to be part of the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, marking a thousand years since the first attack on Somnath, which took place in 1026. People from all across India had come to be part of this moment of remembrance, united by a shared reverence for history, culture and the enduring spirit of the people of India. During the programme, I met a few people who had previously come to Somnath during the Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam and had been to Kashi during the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam. Their words of appreciation for such platforms touched me and so, I thought of sharing a few thoughts on this subject.

During one of the Mann Ki Baat programmes, I had said that not learning Tamil is a major regret of my life. Fortunately, over the last few years, our Government has had several opportunities to further popularise Tamil culture across India and to deepen the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.’ A prime example of such an effort is the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam. In our ethos, Sangam or confluence has a special place. Seen in this light, the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam stands out as a truly distinctive initiative, one that celebrates the living unity of India’s many traditions while honouring their unique identities.

And what can be a better place than Kashi to host such a Sangamam. The same Kashi, which has remained a civilisational anchor from time immemorial… where, for thousands of years, people from all over have come in search of knowledge, meaning and Moksha.

Kashi’s connection with Tamil people and culture is very deep. It is in Kashi that Baba Vishwanath resides, while Tamil Nadu has Rameswaram. Tenkasi in Tamil Nadu is known as Kashi of the south or Dakshin Kashi. Saint Kumaraguruparar Swamigal forged a lasting link between Kashi and Tamil Nadu through his spirituality, scholarship and institution-building. Mahakavi Subramania Bharati, one of Tamil Nadu’s greatest sons, found in Kashi a space of intellectual growth and spiritual awakening. It was here that his nationalism deepened, his poetry sharpened and his vision of a free, united India took clearer shape. There are several such instances that highlight this close bond.

The first edition of Kashi-Tamil Sangamam took place in 2022. I recall attending the inauguration programme. Scholars, artisans, students, farmers, writers, professionals and many others from Tamil Nadu travelled to Kashi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya.

Subsequent editions expanded the scale and depth of this effort. The aim was to keep introducing fresh themes, innovative formats and deeper engagement, thus ensuring that the Sangamam continued to evolve while remaining rooted in its core spirit. In the second edition in 2023, technology was used on a larger scale to ensure that language does not become a barrier for people. In the third edition, the focus was on Indian knowledge systems. At the same time, academic discussions, cultural performances, exhibitions and interactions witnessed greater participation. Thousands of people have taken part in these events.

The fourth edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam commenced on 2nd December 2025. The theme picked was very interesting- Tamil Karkalam - Learn Tamil. It presented a unique opportunity for people in Kashi and other parts to learn the beautiful Tamil language. Teachers came from Tamil Nadu and the students of Kashi had a very memorable experience!

There were many other special events this time.

Tholkappiyam, the ancient Tamil literary classic, was translated into 4 Indian languages and 6 foreign languages.

A unique event, Sage Agasthya Vehicle Expedition (SAVE), was undertaken from Tenkasi to Kashi. On the way, various initiatives such as eye camps, health awareness camps, digital literacy camps, among other things, were held. The expedition paid homage to King Adi Veera Parakrama Pandiyan, the great Pandya ruler who spread the message of cultural oneness. There were exhibitions at Namo Ghat, academic sessions at Banaras Hindu University, as well as cultural programmes.

One of the things that makes me most happy about the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam is the participation of thousands of youngsters. It illustrates the passion among our Yuva Shakti to deepen their connect with our roots. It is a brilliant platform for them to showcase their talent and creativity during the various cultural programmes.

In addition to the Sangamam, efforts have been made to make the journey to Kashi memorable for the participants. The Indian Railways operated special trains to take people from Tamil Nadu to Uttar Pradesh. In many railway stations, particularly in Tamil Nadu, they were cheered, and the train journey was marked by melodious songs and conversations.

Here, I would also like to appreciate my sisters and brothers of Kashi and Uttar Pradesh for their warmth and hospitality shown to the delegates of the various Kashi-Tamil Sangamams. Several people opened the doors of their homes for the guests from Tamil Nadu. The local administration worked round the clock to ensure the guests had a seamless experience. As the MP from Varanasi, I could not be prouder!

This time, the valedictory function of the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam was held in Rameswaram and it was graced by the Vice President of India, Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji, who is himself a proud son of Tamil Nadu. He delivered a very inspiring address, emphasising India’s spiritual greatness and how such platforms deepen national integration.

The Kashi Tamil Sangamam has delivered meaningful outcomes like strengthening cultural understanding, fostering academic and people-to-people exchanges and creating lasting bonds between parts of the country that share a civilisational ethos. In the coming times, we want to make this platform even more vibrant. Most importantly, it has furthered the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.’ This spirit has flourished for centuries through our festivals, literature, music, art, cuisine, architecture, systems of knowledge and more.

This time of the year is very auspicious for people across the length and breadth of India. People are enthusiastically marking various festivals like Sankranti, Uttarayan, Pongal, Magh Bihu, which are, among other things, associated with the Sun, nature and farming. These festivals bring people together and deepen the spirit of harmony in our society. I convey my best wishes for these festivals and hope they continue to inspire us to deepen national unity through our shared heritage and collective participation.