151st birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda celebrated (in pics)

Updated: Monday, January 13, 2014, 8:51 [IST]

New Delhi, Jan 12: The year-long commemoration of 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda formally came to a close today with functions organised at various places in the country.

Addressing a function here, Culture Minister Chandresh Kumari Katoch said, 54 proposals involving an estimated cost of Rs 253 crore have been approved to propagate teachings of Swami Vivekananda and were at different stages of implementation.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Defence Minister AK Antony were also present among others.

Katoch also said Culture Ministry was in the process of setting up an Indian Ministry of Culture Swami Vivekananda Chair in the University of Chicago and amount of USD 1.5 million have been earmarked for it.

An agreement in this regard has been signed and university is in the process of appointing a person for it, Katoch said.

Antony, while paying glowing tributes to Swami Vivekananda said, Swamiji was probably the first modern Indian saint to understand the value of youth in nation-building.

He said Swami Vivekananda never preached superiority of any one religion, but accepted all the religions and showed the way of unity and peace to the world.

The formal inauguration of this commemoration was held on January 12, 2013 by President of India at a function in the Rashtrapati Bhawan Auditorium, during which a set of commemorative postage stamps and commemorative coins were released.

150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Minister of Culture Chandresh Kumari Katoch at the closing ceremony of the commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, in New Delhi on Sunday.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi lighting the lamp

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi lighting the lamp at the closing ceremony of the commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, in New Delhi on Sunday.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi at the closing ceremony

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi at the closing ceremony of the commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, in New Delhi on Sunday.

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and General Secretary RK Mission, Belur

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and General Secretary RK Mission, Belur, Swami Suhitananda at the closing ceremony of the commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, in New Delhi on Sunday.