National Youth Day 2024: History, Significance, Theme; 5 Quotes of Swami Vivekananda

National Youth Day is celebrated on January 12 every year and it marks the birth anniversary of the great spiritual leader, Swami Vivekananda.

Every year, National Youth Day is observed in India on January 12 to honour the teachings and ideals of Swami Vivekananda and celebrate his birth anniversary. A great philosopher and spiritual leader, Vivekananda was born on January 12, 1863, in Kolkata. The aim behind celebrating the day mainly lies in inspiring and motivating the youth through the life and ideas of Swami Vivekananda so that they get motivated to contribute to India's brighter future.

National Youth Day: History And Significance

Swami Vivekananda played a key role in introducing the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world. In 1984, it was decided by the Government of India to celebrate Swami Vivekananda's birth anniversary as the National Youth Day. Since then, this day has been celebrated across the country with youth-centric programmes and initiatives. 

Vivekananda was Shri Ramkrishna's famous disciple and the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission centres across the country organise several programmes on this day to mark his birth anniversary.

National Youth Day 2024: Theme

This year's theme of the National Youth Festival, as per media reports, is 'MYBharat-ViksitBharat@2047- By the Youth, For the Youth' or 'Viksit Bharat@ 2047: Yuva ke liye, yuva ke dwara'.

National Youth Day: 5 Famous Teachings Of Swami Vivekananda

1. Dare to be free, dare to go as far as your thought leads, and dare to carry that out in your life.

2.  You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself.

3. The great secret of true success, of true happiness, is this: the man or woman who asks for no return, the perfectly unselfish person, is the most successful.

4. External nature is only internal nature writ large.

5. Condemn none: if you can stretch out a helping hand, do so. If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers, and let them go their own way.