National Youth Day is celebrated every year on January 12 to honor the birthday of India’s greatest spiritual and social leader Swami Vivekananda.
National youth day marks Vivekananda’s ideas on how the young should participate in the modern world while upholding their values. He was the one who believed that with “muscles of iron” and “nerves of steel” every child could bring about social change and he always saw that hope for the future in every child. His life and teachings have encouraged millions around the world and still doing so.
History:
In 1984 the Government of India decided to celebrate Vivekananda’s birthday as National Youth Day every year. The first celebration was marked on January 12, 1985.
The Government of India quoted-
” The philosophy of Swamiji and the ideals for which he lived and worked could be a great source of inspiration for the Indian Youth Day.”
How this day is celebrated:
National youth day is celebrated all over the India every year at schools and colleges, with processions, speeches, music, youth conventions, seminars, Yogasanas, presentations, competitions in essay-writing, recitations and sports. Many blood drives are also organized on this day to help someone in need.
Significance of this day:
With this day India honors and celebrates Swami Vivekananda as an greet spiritual leader. His life and teachings of inspires young people.
His lectures and writings, deriving their inspiration from Indian spiritual tradition and the broad outlook of his Master Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. These are the source of inspiration which have motivated numerous youth organizations, study circles and service projects involving the youth.
Today where almost 50 percent of India’s population is under the age of 25, the future of the country is on their shoulder.
With that empowering youth people is so important and this little celebration of youth can be a source of great motivation for them.
Quotes by Swami Vivekananda:
You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.
The greatest sin is to think yourself weak.
Take risks in your life. If you win, you can lead, if you lose, you can guide.
“Talk to yourself once in a day, otherwise you may miss meeting an intelligent person in this world.”
“In a day, when you don’t come across any problems – you can be sure that you are travelling in a wrong path”
Be the servant while leading. Be unselfish. Have infinite patience, and success is yours.”