By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI:Day 2 of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD 2026), organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, commenced today at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, with a grand inaugural session.
The session was graced by the Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya; the National Security Advisor, Shri Ajit Doval; the Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, Smt. Raksha Nikhil Khadse; the Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, Dr. Pallavi Jain Govil; and the Additional Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, Shri Nitesh Kumar Mishra, along with other senior officials and dignitaries. The inaugural ceremony began with a floral tribute to Swami Vivekananda, whose timeless ideals of youth empowerment, leadership and national service continue to inspire young leaders across the country, followed by the traditional lighting of the lamp.
Addressing the inaugural session, the Union Minister, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, warmly welcomed the participants and lauded the overwhelming response to the initiative. He highlighted that nearly 50 lakh youth participated in the initial quiz round, out of which three lakh were shortlisted to submit essays on one of the ten identified thematic tracks.
These essays were evaluated by eminent professors, following which 30,000 youth were selected at the State level to present their ideas. From this pool, 3,000 young leaders were finally selected to refine their ideas and present them directly before Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, who has reposed immense faith in young Indians to lead the journey towards a Viksit Bharat and will spend several hours on National Youth Day engaging directly with young leaders and listening to their ideas.
Emphasising that the youth are the driving force of the nation, Dr. Mandaviya underlined that the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue is a process to build leadership that emerges from the grassroots, without political backing, and nurtures future leaders of the nation. He stressed that Viksit Bharat will not be achieved by the Government alone, but through the collective effort of 140 crore citizens, guided by the five ‘Prans’ envisioned for the nation. Stressing the mantra of ‘Nation First’, he urged the youth to fulfil their duties with discipline and dedication. Referring to India’s favourable demographic dividend, he noted that the country is progressing steadily in the post-COVID period, with unemployment rates declining significantly.
In the Keynote Address, National Security Advisor Shri Ajit Doval reflected on his own youth and spoke at length on the centrality of decision-making in shaping individual lives and the destiny of nations. He underscored that the pace and direction of one’s life are determined by the quality of decisions taken on a daily basis, urging young leaders to consciously cultivate this capability from an early stage. Emphasising that the youth’s greatest strength lies in making the right choices, he called upon them to adopt a far-sighted, disciplined and implementation-oriented approach to decision-making if they are to lead India towards the goal of Viksit Bharat. He also recalled the sacrifices made during India’s freedom struggle and stressed the importance of learning from history to build a resilient and self-confident nation.
Stressing that motivation is temporary but discipline is enduring, he advised young leaders to convert discipline into daily motivation and to act without delay. He encouraged the youth to believe in themselves, and called upon them to adopt a five-year commitment to their decisions, asserting that unwavering willpower over time builds invincibility. Shri Doval also interacted with the young participants during an interactive question-and-answer session, where he shared insights on managing pressure and making sound decisions in critical situations.
In her Welcome Address, Dr. Pallavi Jain Govil expressed gratitude to the dignitaries and noted that the Dialogue marked the culmination of a five-month nationwide process involving nearly 50 lakh youth, resulting in the selection of outstanding young leaders from across all States and Union Territories. She emphasised that VBYLD is a platform to listen to youth voices and integrate their ideas into policymaking through a design-thinking, human-centric approach. The Viksit Bharat Run, held in 144 cities across the country with participation from the Indian diaspora, was a key initiative showcasing India’s soft power, she further added.
The inaugural session concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Shri Nitesh Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, who expressed gratitude to the dignitaries on the dais, speakers, organisers and the young participants for their active engagement. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to nurturing youth leadership through sustained dialogue and participatory platforms such as the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue and encouraged participants to make the most of the upcoming sessions.
After the conclusion of the plenary session, participants dispersed to their respective venues for in-depth thematic sessions organised around ten identified themes. The sessions were anchored by mentors who introduced the framework and objectives of each theme, followed by deliberations led by distinguished subject-matter experts. These interactions created a collaborative learning space, enabling participants to critically examine issues, exchange ideas, and benefit from expert guidance through focused discussions. The themes are as follows:
