BHOPAL: Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication organised a special lecture to commemorate Swami Vivekananda’s historic Chicago address. The programme was presided over by Vice-Chancellor Vijay Manohar Tiwari, while prominent thinker Mukul Kanitkar was the keynote speaker. He also addressed questions from students.
“Who are you? Where have you come from? What is the purpose of your life?” Mukul Kanitkar said that one who confronts these questions and seeks answers is a youth and, in a sense, a great personality. Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Mirabai and APJ Abdul Kalam asked themselves such questions, which transformed their lives. He urged every young person to ask these questions while looking into the mirror.
Speaking on the theme ‘Yuva Bharat: Kal, Aaj aur Kal’, Mukul Kanitkar said that when Swami Vivekananda addressed the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago, prolonged applause followed. He said the reason was not merely that Vivekananda addressed the audience as “brothers and sisters”, but the deep emotion behind his expression.
Before delivering his Chicago address, Swami Vivekananda spent nearly one-and-a-half months in America facing immense hardships. He endured humiliation and rejection. Yet, despite suffering such hardship and insult, when he finally received the opportunity to speak from the stage, he did not complain. Instead, he addressed the audience with affection, saying, “My dear American sisters and brothers.” This heartfelt expression deeply moved those present. In a way, Swami Vivekananda made a profound impact on the hearts and minds of the audience.
Mukul Kanitkar said that a person who is powerless complains, whereas a youth provides solutions. Youth means being filled with courage. Swami Vivekananda continues to remain a source of inspiration for young people because he never complained.
He said Swami Vivekananda made such an impact that he delivered seven speeches at the Parliament of the World’s Religions. Later, extensive research was conducted on his speeches and work. Marie Louise Burke, later known as Sister Gargi, carried out one of the most detailed and authentic studies of Swami Vivekananda’s work in the West, particularly in America and England.
She wrote a six-volume research series titled Swami Vivekananda in the West: New Discoveries. For this research, she travelled across America and Europe for several years. She traced the cities where Swami Vivekananda had stayed, searched newspaper archives and located families connected with his travels. She also discovered several letters, lectures and memoirs of Swami Vivekananda that had been lost in historical records.
Mukul Kanitkar said, “Sister Nivedita says that September 11, 1893, was the day of the rebirth of Hinduism.” He said Swami Vivekananda transformed the world’s narrow perception of Hinduism.
Referring to one of Swami Vivekananda’s speeches in Madras, Mukul Kanitkar said that Vivekananda posed three questions: Do you consider Bharat Mata your mother from your heart? Have you used your mind to think about solutions to problems? And are you ready to serve with your own hands to bring about those solutions?
He said that if we consider Bharat our mother, then we must ask why we make her unclean, why we throw garbage around and why we pollute the land through excessive use of plastic. He said Swami Vivekananda placed such pressing questions before the youth for introspection.
Mukul Kanitkar called upon the youth to ensure that whenever they purchase goods, they consider buying products made in Bharat or in friendly countries.
Defining modernity, he said, “Modernity belongs to tools and technology, not culture. Culture moves through continuity.” He said culture and modernity can move together. Bharat must preserve its culture while becoming modern in its thinking.
He said, “APJ Abdul Kalam said that when a journalist is also filled with patriotism, he gives news that inspires the nation.” Negative developments automatically become news, he said, whereas turning positive developments into news requires vision and effort. Efforts are necessary to take good and constructive developments to society.
In his presidential address and welcome speech, Vice-Chancellor Vijay Manohar Tiwari said that something happened in America on September 11, 1893, that gave the world a new introduction to Bharat. The ideas of Swami Vivekananda changed the way the world viewed India. He said Swami Vivekananda had been chosen for this historic task by his Guru, Ramakrishna Paramahansa.
On the occasion, students who won the feature-writing and quiz competitions based on the life of Swami Vivekananda were felicitated. The programme was conducted by Ananya, a student of the Department of Journalism, and Sumedha, a student of the Department of Mass Communication. Registrar Prof. P. Shashikala delivered the vote of thanks.
