National Youth Day (12 January) is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of:

National Youth Day is celebrated in India every year on 12 January, the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. The Government of India declared the day as National Youth Day in 1984, and it has been observed since 1985. The National Youth Festival is organised around this day, from 12 to 16 January.

Swami Vivekananda was born as Narendranath Datta on 12 January 1863 in Calcutta (Kolkata). He was a disciple of the mystic saint Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He is remembered as one of the greatest spiritual leaders and thinkers of modern India. He became world famous after his speech at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in 1893, which he began with the words "Sisters and Brothers of America", and in which he presented Hinduism and Indian spirituality to the Western world. In 1897, he founded the Ramakrishna Mission, which works in the fields of education, health care and social service. He died on 4 July 1902 at Belur Math, near Kolkata, at the age of 39.

Vivekananda believed that the youth were the strength of the nation, and he inspired them to be strong, fearless, self-confident and dedicated to the service of others. His famous message, "Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached", taken from the Katha Upanishad, continues to inspire young people. National Youth Day is celebrated in schools and colleges with speeches, seminars, competitions, sports and cultural programmes. International Youth Day, declared by the United Nations, is observed on 12 August.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Bhagat Singh was a revolutionary freedom fighter; 23 March, the day of his execution, is observed as Shaheed Diwas.
• ✗Subhas Chandra Bose: his birth anniversary, 23 January, is celebrated as Parakram Diwas.
• ✗Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: his birth anniversary, 31 October, is celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.