By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: On the occasion of National Youth Day, commemorating the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today participated in the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Department of Youth Affairs organised the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue – National Youth Festival 2025 from 10-12 January 2025.
The Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Ministers of State, Shri Jayant Chaudhary and Smt Raksha Khadse were present among other dignitaries at the event.
Prime Minister engaged with 3,000 dynamic young leaders from across India. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, he highlighted the vibrant energy of India’s youth, which had brought life and energy to Bharat Mandapam. He remarked that the entire nation is remembering and paying tribute to Swami Vivekananda, who had immense faith in the country’s youth. He added that Swami Vivekananda believed that his disciples would come from the younger generation, who would solve every problem like lions. He added that he had complete faith in Swamiji and his beliefs, like Swamiji trusted the youth. He further added that he trusted him completely especially about his vision of youth.The Prime Minister emphasized that if Swami Vivekananda were among us today, he would be filled with new confidence upon witnessing the awakened power and active efforts of the 21st-century youth.
Recalling the G-20 event hosted in Bharat Mandapam, Shri Modi said the world leaders were at the same venue to discuss the future of the world while today the youth of India were charting the roadmap for the next 25 years of India. Sharing an anecdote about meeting young athletes at his residence a few months ago, he highlighted that one athlete remarked, “For the world, you may be the Prime Minister, but for us, you are Param Mitra.”
The Prime Minister emphasized his bond of friendship with the youth of India, stating that the strongest link in friendship is trust. He expressed his immense trust in the youth, which inspired the formation of MY Bharat and the foundation of the Viksit Bharat Young Leader Dialogue. The Prime Minister remarked that the potential of India’s youth will soon make India a developed nation. He acknowledged that while the goal is significant, it is not impossible, dispelling the views of naysayers. With the collective efforts of millions of young people driving the wheels of progress, he said the nation will undoubtedly reach its target.
“History teaches and inspires us”, said Shri Modi and highlighted numerous global examples where nations and groups, with big dreams and resolutions, achieved their goals. Citing the example of 1930s economic crisis in the USA, he said that the Americans chose the New Deal and not only overcame the crisis but also accelerated their development. He also mentioned Singapore, which faced basic life crises but transformed into a global financial and trade hub through discipline and collective effort. The Prime Minister remarked that India has similar examples, such as the freedom struggle and overcoming the food crisis post-independence. He stressed that setting big goals and achieving them within a timeframe is not impossible. He asserted that without a clear goal, nothing can be achieved, and today’s India is working with this mindset.
Highlighting several examples of achieving goals through determination over the past decade, the Prime Minister remarked that India resolved to become open defecation-free, and within 60 months, 60 crore citizens achieved this goal. The Prime Minister emphasized that nearly every family in India now has access to banking services, and over 100 million gas connections have been provided to free women’s kitchens from smoke. Noting that India is achieving its targets ahead of schedule in various sectors, Shri Modi said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the world struggled for vaccines, Indian scientists developed a vaccine ahead of time.
He added that despite predictions that it would take 3-4 years to vaccinate everyone in India, the country conducted the world’s largest vaccination campaign in record time. The Prime Minister highlighted India’s commitment to green energy, noting that India was the first country to meet the Paris Agreement commitments, nine years ahead of schedule. He also mentioned the target of 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2030, which India is set to achieve well before the deadline. He added that each of these successes serves as an inspiration and brings India closer to the goal of becoming a developed nation.
“Achieving big goals is not solely the responsibility of government machinery but requires the collective effort of every citizen”, said Shri Modi and highlighted the importance of deliberation, direction, and ownership in achieving national objectives. The Prime Minister remarked that the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue exemplifies this process, led by the youth who participated in quizzes, essay competitions, and presentations. He lauded the youth for their ownership of the goal of a developed India, as reflected in the essay book launched and the ten presentations he reviewed.
The Prime Minister noted that the youth’s solutions are grounded in reality and experience, showcasing their broad understanding of the challenges facing the nation. He commended the youth for their expansive thinking and active participation in discussions with experts, ministers, and policymakers. The Prime Minister announced that the ideas and suggestions from the Young Leaders Dialogue will now become part of national policies, guiding the country’s development. He congratulated the youth and reiterated his commitment to bringing one lakh new young people into politics, encouraging them to participate actively in implementing their suggestions.
Sharing his vision of a developed India and emphasizing its economic, strategic, social, and cultural strength, the Prime Minister remarked that in a developed India, both the economy and ecology would flourish, offering numerous opportunities for good education and income. He highlighted that India would have the world’s largest skilled youth workforce, providing an open sky for their dreams. The Prime Minister stated that achieving this goal requires every decision, step, and policy to be aligned with the vision of a developed India. He stressed that this is India’s moment for a quantum leap, as the country remains the youngest nation for decades to come. “Global agencies recognize the youth’s potential to significantly boost India’s GDP”, said Shri Modi. Citing great thinkers like Maharshi Aurobindo, Gurudev Tagore, and Homi J. Bhabha, who believed in the power of youth, Shri Modi noted that Indian youth are leading major global companies, showcasing their capability worldwide.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the next 25 years, the ‘Amrit Kaal,’ was crucial, and he expressed confidence that the youth will realize the dream of a developed India. He highlighted the youth’s achievements in bringing India to the top three in the startup world, advancing manufacturing, elevating Digital India globally, and excelling in sports. He concluded that when Indian youth make the impossible possible, a developed India is undoubtedly achievable.
Stressing on the government’s commitment to empowering today’s youth, Shri Modi highlighted that every week a new university was being established in India while every day a new ITI was being set up. Additionally, he added that every third day, an Atal Tinkering Lab was opened, and two new colleges were established daily.
The Prime Minister noted that India now has 23 IITs, and in the past decade, the number of IIITs has increased from 9 to 25, and the number of IIMs from 13 to 21. He also mentioned the threefold increase in the number of AIIMS and the near doubling of medical colleges in the last ten years. The Prime Minister remarked that India’s educational institutions are showing excellent results in both quantity and quality, with the number of higher education institutes in the QS rankings rising from nine in 2014 to forty-six today. He stressed that the growing strength of India’s educational institutions is a significant foundation for a developed India.
“The goal of a developed India by 2047 requires daily targets and consistent efforts”, urged the Prime Minister. He expressed confidence that India will soon become the world’s third-largest economy. Over the past decade, Shri Modi said that 250 million people have been lifted out of poverty, and believes that the entire country will be poverty-free soon. He highlighted India’s target of generating 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by the end of this decade and achieving net-zero carbon emissions for the railway by 2030.
Highlighting the ambitious goal of hosting the Olympics in the next decade and emphasizing the nation’s dedication to achieving this, the Prime Minister remarked that India is making rapid strides as a space power, with plans to establish a space station by 2035. He noted the success of Chandrayaan and the ongoing preparations for Gaganyaan, with the ultimate aim of landing an Indian on the moon. He emphasized that achieving such goals will pave the way for a developed India by 2047.
The Prime Minister addressed the impact of economic growth on daily life, stating that as the economy grows, it positively affects all aspects of life. He recalled that in the first decade of this century, India became a trillion-dollar economy, but with a smaller economic size, the agriculture budget was only a few thousand crores, and the infrastructure budget was less than one lakh crore. At that time, he added that most villages lacked proper roads, and the condition of national highways and railways was poor and basic amenities like electricity and water were unavailable to a large part of the country. Shri Modi remarked that after becoming a two trillion-dollar economy, India’s infrastructure budget was less than two lakh crore rupees. However, the country saw significant improvements in roads, railways, airports, canals, housing for the poor, schools, and hospitals.
He remarked that as India rapidly became a three trillion-dollar economy, the number of airports doubled, modern trains like Vande Bharat were introduced, and the dream of a bullet train began to materialize. He added that India also achieved the fastest rollout of 5G globally, extended broadband internet to thousands of gram panchayats, and built roads to over 300,000 villages. The Prime Minister noted that 23 lakh crore rupees in collateral-free Mudra loans were provided to young people, and the world’s largest free healthcare scheme, Ayushman Bharat, was launched. Additionally, he noted that a scheme was initiated to directly deposit thousands of crores into farmers’ bank accounts annually, and four crore pucca houses were built for the poor. The Prime Minister emphasized that as the economy grew, development activities accelerated, creating more opportunities and increasing the nation’s capacity to spend on every sector and social class.
Highlighting that India is now nearly a four trillion-dollar economy, significantly increasing its capabilities, the Prime Minister said that the current infrastructure budget is over 11 lakh crore rupees, nearly six times higher than a decade ago, and more is being spent on railways alone than the entire infrastructure budget of 2014. He noted that this increased budget is evident in India’s changing landscape, with Bharat Mandapam being a beautiful example.
“India is rapidly moving towards becoming a five trillion-dollar economy, which will greatly expand development and facilities”, exclaimed Shri Modi. He expressed confidence and projected that by the end of the next decade, India will surpass the ten trillion-dollar mark. He encouraged the youth about the numerous opportunities that will arise as the economy grows, asserting that their generation will not only drive the greatest transformation in the country’s history but also be its biggest beneficiaries. The Prime Minister advised the youth to avoid the comfort zone, take risks, and step out of their comfort zones, as demonstrated by the participants of the Young Leaders Dialogue. He added that this mantra of life will propel them to new heights of success.
Underscoring the significant role of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue in shaping India’s future roadmap, Shri Modi lauded the energy, enthusiasm, and dedication with which the youth have embraced this resolution. He remarked that the ideas for a developed India were invaluable, excellent, and the best. He urged the youth to take these ideas to every corner of the country, connecting other young people in every district, village, and neighborhood with the spirit of a developed India. Concluding his address, the Prime Minister reiterated the commitment to make India a developed nation by 2047 and encouraged everyone to live and dedicate themselves to this resolution. He once again extended his heartfelt congratulations to all the youth of India on National Youth Day.
In the first half of the event, the Youth Anthem, a powerful and inspirational composition that resonated with the spirit of youth empowerment and national progress, was played in front of Prime Minister. The anthem, designed to inspire and unite young minds across the country, set the tone for the day, infusing the gathering with energy and a sense of collective purpose.
Additionally, a captivating video was showcased, highlighting the remarkable journey of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue. The video provided a visual narrative of how the initiative has evolved.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi witnessed a series of insightful presentations on women empowerment, sports, culture, StartUps, infrastructure development, and more at the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025. He expressed pride in India’s talented Yuva Shakti, recognizing their pivotal role in driving the nation’s progress and shaping a brighter future.
