New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS): Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani Thursday appealed to vice chancellors of universities across the country to set up a chair in the name of Swami Vivekananda as proposed by the UGC.

Irani made the appeal while addressing the media here on the initiatives her ministry has taken in the first 100-day's rule of the National Democratic Alliance government.

"Since today (Thursday) is Sep 11, the day when Swami Vivekananda gave that historic speech in Chicago, I take this opportunity to appeal to all vice chancellors across all central, state and deemed universities that the University Grants Commission (UGC) has proposed a plan whereby chairs can be set up in the name of Swami Vivekananda so that his philosophy, teachings and life can be researched upon and studied."

"I appeal to all these institutions to avail of this particular grant by the UGC," she said.

Swami Vivekananda's speech at the World's Parliament of Religions on this day in 1893 made him famous as a "Messenger of Indian wisdom to the Western world".