- Swami Vivekananda born NarendranathDatta was a Hindu monk and one of the most celebrated spiritual leaders of India.
- He was a chief disciple of the 19th-century Indian mystic Ramakrishna and was a key figure in the introduction of the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world.
- Vivekananda is credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion during the late 19th century.
- In 1880 Narendra joined Keshab Chandra Sen’s Nava Vidhan, which was established by Sen after meeting Ramakrishna and reconverting from Christianity to Hinduism.
- Narendra became a member of the SadharanBrahmoSamaj in his twenties, a breakaway faction of the BrahmoSamaj led by Keshab Chandra Sen and Debendranath Tagore.
- In 1886, Sri Ramakrishna passed away Ramakrishna had chosen Narendra to be the leader of the monastic disciples.
- Vivekananda founded a math (monastery) called Belur Math.
- On September 11th, 1893, Vivekananda gave a short speech on the opening day of the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago.
- Vivekananda taught a philosophy of traditional meditation and also selfless service (karma yoga).
- He advocated emancipation for Indian women and an end to the worst excess of the caste system.
- Vivekananda created an emerging sense of national pride and national fervour, he was an influential figure in the Indian Renaissance of the late Nineteenth Century.
- Later Indian leaders, like Netaji, Gandhi, Pal and Tilak would all pay tribute to the inspiration of Vivekananda.
