One of the chief disciples of Ramkrisna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda was born as Narendranath Dutta on January 12, 1863 in Kolkata to Vishwanath Dutta and Bhuvaneswari Devi. He took the name Swami Vivekananda after becoming a monk. He was a good student, besides being proficient in music and sports. He stood up against many of the superstitions prevalent during that time and had great affection and respect for ascetics.
He entered the hallowed portals of the Presidency College in 1879. After a year, he joined the Scottish Church College in Kolkata and studied philosophy, western logic, western philosophy and the history of European nations. His studies made him question the existence of God. Though he associated himself with the Brahmo Samaj for sometime, he did not get the answers to his questions. It was then that he went to visit Ramakrishna Paramhansa. Soon, he became Ramkrishna's disciple.
Ramakrishna passed away in 1886. Swami Vivekananda and a few other disciples of Ramkrishna decided to become monks and renounced everything. In 1890, he set out on a on a long journey across the length and breadth of the country. This brought him in close contact with various kinds of people: rich as well as poor, good as well as bad. He reached Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of mainland India in December 1892 and started meditating on a lone rock. He meditated for three days; this rock has presently become popular as the Vivekananda memorial .
His greatest moment came when in 1893, he went to the United States and addressed the Conference of World Religions in Chicago. He mesmerized everyone with his speech. He also traveled to England. He returned to India in 1897 after four years and started the Sri Ramakrishna Mission in 1897. This great saint and philosopher passed away for his heavenly abode on July 4, 1902.
