Swami Vivekananda, born Narendranath Datta on January 12, 1863, in Kolkata, India, and dying on July 4, 1902, was a Hindu monk, philosopher, and spiritual leader who played a pivotal role in introducing Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world. A disciple of the mystic Ramakrishna, he gained international fame after his rousing speech at the 1893 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago. His Vedanta Philosophy: Eight Lectures on Karma Yoga articulates a practical and profound vision of spiritual duty and inner discipline. Vivekananda remains a national hero in India and a key figure in global interfaith dialogue.