Narendra Modi to address students’ convention today; Students and staffs of Karnataka colleges made mandatory 'to be part of the address'

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a students’ convention September 11 to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago address and BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya’s centenary celebrations. The theme of the convention is ‘Young India, New India‘. “Tomorrow I look forward to addressing a gathering of students on the theme of Young India, New India’,” Modi tweeted. The convention of students is being held on a day Vivekananda delivered his historic address at Chicago in 1893, he noted. “This year, we are marking 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s Chicago address and Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya centenary celebrations,” the Prime Minister said in another tweet. He said Vivekananda strongly believed in the power of “Yuva Shakti’ (youth power) and saw a vital place for youngsters in the realm of nation-building. “Inspired by the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, we are working tirelessly towards realising the dreams and aspirations of our youth,” the prime minister said. Several colleges and universities across the country have made it mandatory for their staffs and students to be a part of the address that will be live streamed into all the colleges through video conferencing. While Mamta Banerjee had strongly refused to make it mandatory in West Bengal, all the universities in Karnataka have sent circular to their affiliated colleges making them mandatory to be part of the address. With Inputs from PTI