Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla flags off youth contingent for the 29th National Youth Festival 2026 in New Delhi.
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IMPHAL — Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla interacted with the selected young leaders of Manipur who will represent the state at the 29th National Youth Festival (NYF), Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD), during a send-off ceremony held at the Banquet Hall of Lok Bhavan, Imphal, on Tuesday.
A total of 39 youths, selected through a rigorous and multi-tiered process from various institutions across Manipur, will participate in the national event.
The National Youth Festival, organised annually since 1995 to honour Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary on January 12, has been restructured as the VBYLD to align with the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision.
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The NYF–VBYLD 2026, organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, will be held from January 9 to the 12th at Bharat Mandapam.
The programme follows a four-stage engagement process involving nationwide participation, thematic essays, state-level presentations, and national-level interactions, culminating in trackwise presentations before union ministers. Selected young leaders will also present their ideas at the national platform, with the concluding ceremony to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congratulating the participants, Bhalla encouraged them to engage in discussions, exchange ideas with other participants from across the country, and showcase the talent and vision of Manipur’s youth. He conveyed his best wishes for their success and a meaningful learning experience.
The programme was attended by N Praveen, secretary of Youth Affairs and Sports, and N Lokendra, vice-chancellor of Manipur University.