Prof. (Dr) Jaipal Singh
Swami Vivekananda, India’s greatest spiritual leader and social reformer, deeply believed in the power and potential of youth. His teachings, spiritual truth, and love for the motherland, remain immensely relevant today especially in the context of 2025 International Youth Day (IYD) theme: “Local Youth Actions for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Beyond.”
The set seventeen Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all. These goals ranging from no poverty, good health and well being, quality education, clean water and sanitation, gender equality, climate action, reduced inequalities to partnership for goal ..….etc., require not just government policies but active participation from citizens, particularly the youth. Swami Vivekananda’s life was a testament to local action with global impact. His vision aligns seamlessly with the SDGs, especially in areas like education, poverty alleviation, sustainable living, and social justice.
Swami Vivekananda once famously said, “Give me 100 energetic young men and I shall transform India.” This was not just a motivational quote-it was his deep conviction. He believed that youth are not only the future but also the present strength of a nation. According to him, when the young become fearless, disciplined, and rooted in moral values, they can shape a new and better world. This belief echoes strongly in the SDG framework, where youth led initiatives at the local level can bring about global change. Whether it is leading clean-up drives in villages, starting education centres for underprivileged children, or raising awareness about mental health, climate change, eradication of other irrelevant, non-social ill activities which are urgently needed to be taken care of. These grassroots actions are the very spirit of both the SDGs and Swami Vivekananda’s teachings.
Swami Vivekananda emphasized man-making education means that education which build characters, strengthens will and serves society. In his words, “Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man.”Today, SDG 4 focuses on inclusive and equitable quality education. But quality does not merely mean academics, it involves nurturing values like empathy, discipline and resilience.
Vivekananda travelled across India and saw deep inequalities in education. He urged for an education system that is accessible, practical and rooted in the nation’s spiritual and cultural ethos. Local youth, inspired by this vision, can contribute to SDG 4 by volunteering in rural education, creating low-cost digital content or mentoring children from marginalized communities.
One of the core ideas Swami Vivekananda learned from his Guru, Sri Ramakrishna, was “Jiva is Shiva”-every living being is divine. He taught that service to the poor, the weak, and the needy is the highest form of worship. This message is deeply connected to SDGs that focus on eradicating poverty (SDG 1), good health and well-being (SDG 3), and reducing inequalities (SDG 10).
He himself lived this principle by founding the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897, an organization devoted to humanitarian work. Today, youth can follow this path by leading community service initiatives-whether it’s distributing food, organizing blood donation camps or supporting local healthcare programs. These small actions, when multiplied, create large-scale impact.
Swami Vivekananda believed in the unity of all existence. He said, “We are not antagonistic to nature, but a part of it.” This reverence for nature is the foundation of SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 15 (Life on Land). At a time when the world faces unprecedented environmental challenges, youth inspired by Vivekananda’s vision can lead sustainable practices at the community level like curbing deforestation, promoting plantation drive, organic farming, reducing plastic use or conserving water bodies, promoting eco-friendly transportation like cycling, carpooling and supporting the use of renewable energy sources such as solar or wind by conducting awareness campaigns, participating in clean-up drives and adopting minimalistic lifestyles. By embracing responsibility and compassion, the youth can be powerful agents in ensuring the protection and security of the environment.
Further, Swami Vivekananda’s universal message of religious tolerance and brotherhood-expressed so powerfully at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893-aligns with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). He taught us that despite diversity, humanity is one. This is especially vital in a world torn by divisions, where youth must become ambassadors of peace and social harmony.
While the SDGs lay out clear objectives, Swami Vivekananda encourages youth to go beyond measurable outcomes and focus on inner transformation. His famous call “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached” is not just about physical action, but about cultivating mental discipline, courage, and spiritual insight.
In his short life of 39 years, Swami Vivekananda left behind a timeless roadmap for purposeful living. He urged young people to be strong in body, mind and soul to believe in themselves and to take responsibility not just for personal success but for societal progress.
In Gist, on this International Youth Day 2025, let us all be together and start with the well settled thought in mind that real change begins locally with each young person taking a step toward justice, equality and sustainability in their own community. Whether it’s cleaning a street, starting a campaign, educating a child or planting a tree-it all counts.
We must remember that ‘We are what our thoughts have made us.’ So, let us think positively, dream with hope, act locally, and aspire globally to lead both the youth and the world towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Let us pledge to carry forward Swami Vivekananda’s message not just through words, but through meaningful action. Together, we can build a future rooted in strength, unity, and shared responsibility for our planet and its people.”
(The writer is Principal, SG GDC Doongi, Rajouri)
