Follow Vivekananda, youth urged

Rajahmundry: Safeguarding the country’s interests and making it economically self-sufficient depends upon the response it gets from the youth, who only could help sustain excellence in every sphere of activity.

Thus exhorted VV Lakshminarayana, a top official of CBI, who put the onus for country’s development on the youth, particularly in the context of reviving the golden past and the glorious status the country used to enjoy in the world.

He said towards this the youth had to stay focussed and work on their priorities with diligence.

He was addressing a well-attended State-level youth convention that organized at the Government Art’s College here on Wednesday marking the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda.

About 4,800 youth delegates from all over the country participated in the meeting.

Earlier, a huge rally was flagged off by Lakshminarayana and Bharathiyam Satyavani in which school children came attired in the garb of Swami Vivekananda.

Speaking on the occasion, Lakshminarayana reminded that India has been a super power in diverse fields like science, mathematics, astrology right from the BC era. He said that men of eminence like Aryabhatta, Charaka and Shushrutha had left behind a great legacy, which the world still swears by.

Reminding that India had been economic super power from 1 AD to 1750 AD, he said that the country contributed 35 per cent of the world GDP in 1755 AD. He lamented that it had dipped to a poor one percent by 1900 AD.

He said that Swami Vivekananda had rejuvenated the youth, which was in despair during British rule. He reminded that thousands of students from abroad used to study in ancient Indian universities like Takshasila.

Vice-Chancellor, Swami Atmapriyanandaji Maharaj, Vivekananda University, West Bengal mentioned that power emerged from spirituality was more powerful than muscle power.

Swami Sarvasthananadaji Maharaj, secretary, Ramakrishna Ashram, Rajkot, Gujarath said that Swami Vivekananda was a visionary craving for the highest truth, which every youth should abide by.