9/11 marks the birthday of Indian human rights defender Vinayak Narahari, better known as Vinoba Bhave, an ardent Gandhian who is credited with starting the Bhoodan movement among others.

The day also marks the anniversary of an iconic speech given by Indian thinker and philosopher Swami Vivekananda in Chicago in 1893. The speech at the World Parliament of Religions is celebrated for Swami Vivekananda’s impressive articulation of the cultural ethos of the India and its ancient values.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to mark the two notable milestones, posted tweets for Bhave on Sunday and remembered Vivekananda, a social reformer and spiritual figure whom the BJP has historically tried to appropriate.

Paying tribute to Bhave, born in 1895, Prime Minister Modi tweeted: “His life was a manifestation of Gandhi’s principles”. He also praised Bhave’s passion for social empowerment. It was Bhave who gave the bugle call of ‘Jai Jagat.’

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“We are inspired by his ideals and are committed to fulfilling his dreams for our nation,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

He also noted the “special bond” 9/11 has with Swami Vivekananda and shared the speech on Twitter. “It was on this day in 1893 that he gave one of his most remarkable speeches in Chicago.

His speech gave the world a glimpse into India’s culture and ethos,” the prime minister said on the microblogging site.

Meanwhile, an audio clip of PM Modi explaining how Vivekananda explained Advaita to the Western world has gone viral on social media.

On September 11, 2012, Narendra Modi, then CM of Gujarat, held a huge Yatra (Swami Vivekananda Yuva Vikas Yatra) across the state in tribute to Swami Vivekananda’s historic speech in Chicago at the World Parliament of Religions.

Swami Vivekananda is a spiritual and intellectual icon of India and is revered by politicians to this day for his contribution to nation building and national regeneration.

The spiritual pioneer was the founder of the Ramakrishna Mission and Ramakrishna Math, which provided the fundamental teachings of spirituality all over the world.

Vivekanda’s gift for gossip and his rebellious yet humble lyrics earned him the title “Marvel of Oratorical Powers”. He achieved great international fame at a time when India was still a British colony.

Last updated Sep 11, 2022 12:11 IST