Swami Vivekananda’s 131-Year-Old Speech Inspired PM Modi’s Journey Of Self-Discovery

As the nation celebrates Digvijay Diwas, honoring Swami Vivekananda’s legacy and his historic speech in Chicago, it’s a reminder of how that address, 131 years ago, sparked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s journey of self-discovery.

Delivered on September 11, 1893, Swami Vivekananda’s speech introduced India’s spiritual heritage to the world and profoundly influenced 17-year-old Narendra Modi, shaping his path.

Modi Archive, a well-known X handle chronicling the Prime Minister’s life, shared an old photo of Narendra Modi on Wednesday, highlighting the profound impact Swami Vivekananda’s speech had on him.

Inspired deeply by Vivekananda’s teachings, the young Narendra Modi left his home in Vadnagar for the Himalayas in search of self-discovery. The handle also posted a photo of Modi at a village wedding, taken just a day before his journey to the Himalayas.

The Modi Archive also notes that the young Narendra Modi learned about Swami Vivekananda’s works from Dr. Vasantbhai Parikh, a local resident of his village. Swami Vivekananda delivered his memorable speech at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago 131 years ago, captivating the world with his knowledge of ancient Hindu scriptures and visionary perspective.

This speech remains a landmark moment in interfaith dialogue, introducing Indian spirituality and the Vedas to the Western world and is still celebrated by Indians today.

PM Modi has frequently highlighted the profound impact of Swami Vivekananda’s teachings on his life, reflecting this influence throughout his public service career. This year, following a hectic campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Modi spent two days meditating at the Swami Vivekananda Memorial in Kanyakumari.

The memorial, named after Swami Vivekananda, marks the spot where he meditated after his India tour and is believed to be where he envisioned modern India.