Hyderabad- January 3rd, 2014: Youth should draw inspiration from eminent personalities such as Swami Vivekananda, Bhagat Singh, Lala Lajpat Rai and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who strived for national integrity with a patriotic fervour and were the real heroes, Swami Vivekananda’s 150th Jayanthi Utsav Samithi State secretary Appala Prasad said on Thursday.

Swami Vivekananda had enlightened the people of the world on Indian culture and traditions in his address at Chicago in the US and drew accolades from leaders of American and European nations, he said while addressing Vivekananda Yuva Bharat Sammelanam at Apoorva kalyana mantapam here.

Mr. Prasad administered a pledge to youth to strive for patriotism and promote culture and spiritualism, which were lacking in American and European cultures. The participants raised slogans of “I love India”. Rashtriya Ekta Trust district chairman Varanasi Pratap Reddy, Galeru Nagari Sujala Sravanthi Special Collector M.V. Subba Reddy, Deputy Director of Physical Education in Yogi Vemana University K. Ramasubba Reddy, ABVP district secretary Ramana, Hindu Dharma Prachara Parishad organiser Mall Venkat Reddy, VHP district president K.V. Lakshminarayana Reddy and secretary K. Srinivasulu, Utsav Committee president Siva Reddy and joint secretary R. Ranganatha Reddy participated.

Women empowerment

Addressing a mahila sammalenam in the afternoon, Mr. Appala Prasad said empowered women were India’s strength. Women were revered in Hindu dharmam and given due respect, he said. He said women should not be denigrated and portrayed in bad light. VHP district honorary president B. Ramakrishna Reddy participated.