Swami Vivekananda was a torchbearer of peace and humanity – Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan

Vijayawada, January 12 (prajaamaravati): Andhra Pradesh Governor Sri Biswabhusan Harichandan paid rich tributes to Swami Vivekananda on his 160th Birth Anniversary at a programme held in Durbar Hall in Raj Bhavan on Wednesday. Governor Sri Harichandan offered floral tributes to the portrait of Swami Vivekananda and said Swami Vivekananda was a great Indian philosopher whose birth anniversary is observed all over the country as the National Youth Day.

The Governor said Swami Vivekananda played a major role in the upliftment of the society by educating women and the downtrodden sections of the society and highlighted the importance of unity among all the religions.

Swami Vivekananda inspired millions of youths throughout the world with his teachings and his speech at the World’s Parliament of Religions held in September 1893, made him famous as an ‘orator by divine right’ and as a ‘Messenger of Indian wisdom to the Western world’ and India’s spirituality-driven culture and robust history drew praises from many in the Western intellectual circle, said the Governor.

The Governor also said that Swami Vivekananda’s strong personality, vast knowledge in science and Vedanta, and empathy towards human and animal life, made him the torchbearer of peace and humanity and attempted to rouse the religious consciousness of the people and create in them pride in their cultural heritage, to bring about unification of Hinduism, to focus the attention of educated people on the plight of the downtrodden masses.

Governor Sri Harichandan appealed to all the people to follow COVID-19 precautions without any compromise, as the threat of coronavirus pandemic is still prevailing with the emergence of Omicron variant and said all eligible people, including young persons in the age group of 15-18, precaution dose by persons above 60 years with co-morbidities, should invariably take the Covid vaccine, without any delay.

Sri R.P. Sisodia, Special Chief Secretary to Governor, Sri A. Shyam Prasad, Joint Secretary to Governor and other officers of Raj Bhavan participated in the programme.