Swami Vivekananda's birth anniversary is celebrated every year on January 12. It is observed in India as National Youth Day. Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/ Rediff.com Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/ Rediff.com

Vivekananda was born 162 years ago in Kolkata, India. Often referred to as “America’s first guru,” Vivekananda whose birth name was Narendra Nath Dutta, founded the Vedanta Society of New York in 1894, one year after landing in the U.S. It became the very first ashram of its kind outside of India.