Vivekananda
<p ><b>Vivekananda</b> (<small>Bengali: </small><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Bengali" title="Help:IPA for Bengali" >[বিবেকানন্দ]</a><small class="nowrap" > (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Swami_Vivekananda.ogg" title="File:Swami Vivekananda.ogg" ><img src="/de35dafb-d027-5a92-a879-be5ebe162183.png"/></a> <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Swami_Vivekananda.ogg" class="internal" title="Swami Vivekananda.ogg" >listen</a>)</small>, <i>Bibekānondo</i>; 12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), also known as <b>Swami Vivekananda</b>, born <b>Narendra Nath Datta</b> (<small>Bengali: </small><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Bengali" title="Help:IPA for Bengali" >[nɔrend̪ro nat̪ʰ d̪ɔt̪t̪o]</a>), was an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India" title="India" >Indian</a> Hindu monk and chief disciple of the 19th-century saint <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramakrishna" title="Ramakrishna" >Ramakrishna</a>. He was a key figure in the introduction of the Indian philosophies of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedanta" title="Vedanta" >Vedanta</a> and<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga" title="Yoga" >Yoga</a> to the Western world<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGeorg2002600_2-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivekananda#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGeorg2002600-2" >[2]</a></sup> and is credited with raising interfaith awareness, bringing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism" title="Hinduism" >Hinduism</a> to the status of a major world religion during the late 19th century.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEClarke2006209_3-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivekananda#cite_note-FOOTNOTEClarke2006209-3" >[3]</a></sup> He was a major force in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_reform_movements" title="Hindu reform movements" >revival of Hinduism</a> in India, and contributed to the concept of nationalism in colonial India.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEVon_Dense1999191_4-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivekananda#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVon_Dense1999191-4" >[4]</a></sup> Vivekananda founded the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramakrishna_Math" title="Ramakrishna Math" >Ramakrishna Math</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramakrishna_Mission" title="Ramakrishna Mission" >Ramakrishna Mission</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGeorg2002600_2-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivekananda#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGeorg2002600-2" >[2]</a></sup> He is perhaps best known for his inspiring speech which began, "Sisters and brothers of America ...,"<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDutt2005121_5-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivekananda#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDutt2005121-5" >[5]</a></sup> in which he introduced Hinduism at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_the_World%27s_Religions" title="Parliament of the World's Religions" >Parliament of the World's Religions</a> in Chicago in 1893.
Born into an aristocratic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengali_people" title="Bengali people" >Bengali</a> family of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolkata" title="Kolkata" >Calcutta</a>, Vivekananda was inclined towards spirituality. He was influenced by his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru" title="Guru" >guru</a>, Ramakrishna, from whom he learnt that all living beings were an embodiment of the divine self; therefore, service to God could be rendered by service to mankind. After Ramakrishna's death, Vivekananda toured the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_subcontinent" title="Indian subcontinent" >Indian subcontinent</a> extensively and acquired first-hand knowledge of the conditions prevailing in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_India" title="British India" class="mw-redirect" >British India</a>. He later travelled to the United States, representing India at the 1893 Parliament of the World Religions. Vivekananda conducted hundreds of public and private lectures and classes, disseminating tenets of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_philosophy" title="Hindu philosophy" >Hindu philosophy</a> in the United States, England and Europe. In India, Vivekananda is regarded as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hindu_gurus_and_saints" title="List of Hindu gurus and saints" >patriotic saint</a> and his birthday is celebrated as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Youth_Day_(India)" title="National Youth Day (India)" >National Youth Day</a> in India.</p>