Why Proud to be a Hindu?

Swami Vivekananda said long back, Proud to be a Hindu. But lets think what should make one proud to be Hindu.
When one reads Chicago address to parliament of world religions, one could easily get answers, why should one be proud as Hindu.
Not many knows who else spoke on the parliament, but the world even now knows of Swami Vivekananda and his message. Even for this single reason that everyone born as Hindu should be proud. While his colleagues who spoke on the same stage about their religion, have all been long lost or forgotten, Swamiji is still looked for answers by not merely Hindus but all religious people of the world. We as Hindus should be proud to have produced him.

To remember his lines,
‘I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation.’

Every Indians (including those today might have converted to new religions) should be proud even now as people have been pouring to India as refugees from all over the world.

Materially progressed western countries are coming in large numbers, as refugees (in spiritual sense) to seek solace in the genius of India’s ancient religion and philosophies of Vedanta.
Lets not forget modern time refugees from Tibet in the north to Sri Lanka in south and all other countries as well. Even the woman writer from Bangladesh has to seek refuge in India at one time….Thus we all need to make sure that India is strong and ready to help its own people and people across the world when they need a refuge materially and spiritually.

So to be really proud of Hindu, one should read on Swami Vivekananda or தெய்வத்தின் குரல் among other works. But these two I have found as the most important ones, without reading these all the rest of reading might not give the knowledge and confidence to say ‘Be proud to be a Hindu’.
Ignoring we may learn and master and even teach the west new tricks on English science, Tech, Laws, courts, economics, medicines and feel proud of those knowledge which naturally keeps us without courage even to say am Hindu, forget to be proud of it.

But a time shall come when not only Hindus feeling proud but even people of other faiths learning Hindu philosophy once again if not already.

When one visits a Ramakrishna mission center one could find an image or picture of another religious prophet now can we imagine this in another religious place of worship to see a Hindu image or picture? Now read again the genius of Hindu religion which came through Swami Vivekananda inaugural speech in Chicago 1893 11th September and feel yourself the feelings which comes in.