Swami Vivekananda

About Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902) was a towering figure in modern Indian history, best known as the chief disciple of Ramakrishna and a key proponent of Vedanta philosophy. His principal historical contribution stems from his address at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in 1893, which introduced Hindu philosophies of yoga and Vedanta to the Western world and helped inspire the modern interfaith movement. MIT's Pantheon project recognizes this expansive global cultural impact, ranking him #734 in overall historical importance.

Despite this significant historical standing, Vivekananda's contemporary internet attention in 2025 shows a notable gap. He accrues 1.2 million annualized Wikipedia views, which places him in a state of 'overattention' relative to his importance, earning a +4x attention score. This suggests a sustained, strong cultural resonance, particularly in India and among those interested in Eastern philosophy. For comparison, Al Capone, who is ranked similarly at #992 importance, garners 2.6 million views, indicating popular culture's enduring interest in figures outside of pure philosophical influence.

However, the momentum data suggests a recent downturn in sustained global interest: his pageviews have dropped by a significant 36.8% year-over-year, with a sharp decline of 34% between the first and third quarters of 2025, indicating that while important, his current level of digital engagement is eroding.