Sun Jan 12 00:30:00 UTC 2025: **India Celebrates National Youth Day with Focus on Swami Vivekananda’s Vision and Future Leaders**

NEW DELHI – India celebrated National Youth Day on January 12th, commemorating Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary and emphasizing the nation’s commitment to youth empowerment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted Vivekananda’s enduring message of self-belief and potential, stating, “Swami Vivekananda viewed the youth of India as a strong link to a glorious past and a grand future…This belief in oneself and turning the impossible into possible is still relevant to the youth of the country.”

The celebration coincided with the inaugural Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025, a two-day event at Bharat Mandapam. Over 3,000 young leaders, selected from a pool of 30 lakh applicants, participated. The Dialogue, a departure from traditional National Youth Festivals, provided a platform for presenting innovative solutions for India’s development across ten key thematic areas, including technology, sustainability, and women’s empowerment. Prime Minister Modi interacted directly with the participants, sharing lunch and engaging in discussions.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports underscored its ongoing commitment to youth development through various initiatives. These include the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), the National Youth Corps (NYC), the National Young Leaders Programme (NYLP), and the recently revised National Youth Policy (NYP-2024), which aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and focuses on education, employment, leadership, health, and social justice. The Ministry also highlighted the National Youth Awards, recognizing outstanding contributions to nation-building.

National Youth Day serves as a yearly reminder of the crucial role young people play in India’s future. With nearly 40% of the population falling within the 15-29 age bracket, the government’s focus on empowerment and fostering innovation aims to harness this valuable human resource for a prosperous and self-reliant India.

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