Swami Vivekananda’s whirlwind address at the 1893 Chicago Parliament of Religions lit the fuse for Neo-Vedanta’s global journey. Channeling his guru Ramakrishna’s experiential mysticism, Vivekananda wove Vedantic unity and universal tolerance into a modern fabric—an approach that still ripples through today’s interfaith dialogues and mindfulness movements.

Sri Aurobindo took that spark and added an evolutionary twist. Rejecting the idea that liberation (moksha) is mere escape, Aurobindo’s Integral Yoga champions spiritual growth as part of human progress. This vision resonates with current integrative-wellness trends, where holistic health blends mind, body and spirit—essentially Aurobindo’s century-old playbook.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan bridged academia and spirituality, wearing the hats of philosopher, diplomat and India’s second president. By framing Vedanta as a universal philosophy rather than an esoteric tradition, Radhakrishnan made it palatable to Western scholars and lay readers alike—still evident in universities where “Radhakrishnan’s Vedanta” is a staple on reading lists.

Mahatma Gandhi infused Neo-Vedanta with active nonviolence (ahimsa) and grassroots social reform. His Salt March in 1930 didn’t just challenge colonial rule; it turned Vedantic self-restraint into political strategy. Today’s civil-resistance movements, from environmental protests to social-justice campaigns, often borrow Gandhi’s Vedantic toolkit.

Western interpreters like Aldous Huxley and Annie Besant further spread Neo-Vedanta across the Atlantic. Huxley’s concept of a “perennial philosophy” and Besant’s leadership in the Theosophical Society shaped New Age spirituality and contemporary yoga studios from London to Los Angeles.

Together, these figures stitched classical Advaita’s nondual insights into a tapestry that speaks to modern concerns: pluralism, scientific inquiry and social engagement. Their legacy keeps rolling, finding fresh expression in global dialogues on consciousness, sustainability and human rights.