“Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.”
Vivekananda Study Circle (VSC), IISc
“My faith is in the younger generation, the modern generation.
Out of them will come my workers. They will work out the whole problem, like lions.”
— Swami Vivekananda
Vivekananda Study Circle (VSC) is a student-led initiative at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, inspired by the life, message, and ideals of Swami Vivekananda. We seek to nurture thoughtful, value-oriented, and socially responsible youth through dialogue, reflection, and service.
Why Vivekananda?
Swami Vivekananda is regarded as an icon of Indian youth. His birthday, 12th January, is celebrated as National Youth Day across India. While declaring this in 1984, the Government of India stated that Swamiji’s philosophy and ideals could serve as a profound source of inspiration for the nation’s youth.
With a clear philosophy of life and a deep understanding of values and culture, even a small group of dedicated young individuals can become beacon lights for society and play a transformative role in nation-building.
It is with this vision that Vivekananda Study Circle operates at the IISc campus.
Our Objective
- Develop a clear philosophy of life, its purpose, and one’s responsibility to society
- Understand right and wrong based on moral and social values
- Appreciate the importance of adhering to values in personal and professional life
- Build moral strength to uphold values under internal and external pressures
- Become knowledgeable about India’s scientific and cultural heritage
- Appreciate the diversity of Indian culture—language, religion, arts, and philosophy
- Be aware of the cultural and scientific heritage of other civilizations
- Feel responsible for preserving and promoting Indian heritage for global good
Our Guiding Principle
The central principle of Vivekananda Study Circle is the acceptance and assimilation of rational, life-nourishing ideas from all cultures, enriching the individual while remaining rooted in one’s own cultural identity.
To this end, we meet regularly to read, reflect upon, and discuss the life and works of Swami Vivekananda, along with other texts that help deepen our understanding of his ideas.
Questions We Explore
- What is life and what is its purpose?
- Why do I do what I do?
- How important are ethics and morality?
- Can I excel in my career while remaining ethical?
- Is it possible to be a good person in an imperfect world?
- Why do good people suffer?
“If you want to know India, study Vivekananda.
In him everything is positive and nothing negative.”
— Rabindranath Tagore