When he was a young boy, Narendra Modi had visited Belurmath to be a part of the Ramakrishna Order founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1897. But the then president had advised him to concentrate on his education. He was also below the minimum age required to join the Math. Later, Modi had gone to the Rama Krishna Mission at Almora, where too his request to joined the order had been turned down.

The president of the Rama Krishna Math at Belur, Swami Atmasthanand Maharaj who had imparted Spiritual teachings to Narendra Modi during his early years, has invited the PM to the organization’s headquarters in Belur. In a letter to Modi, he says, “I am eagerly looking forward to your visit to Belurmath as the Prime Minister of India. I am happy to learn that you have got a thumping majority. Sri Ramakrishna has given you the opportunity to serve the people of India … I pray to Sri Ramakrishna to give you the right understanding in hours of crisis.”

In 2013, Gujarat under the chief ministership of Narendra Modi, celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanada by holding a series of programmes and focused initiatives.