Shillong, Jan 06: The Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, in collaboration with My Bharat, organised a State-level press conference today at the Shillong Press Club ahead of the departure of the Meghalaya contingent for the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) 2026, scheduled to be held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from 9th to 12th January 2026.
Addressing the media, Shri D. D. Shira, Director, Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, provided an overview of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026, which is the second edition of the reimagined National Youth Festival. He informed that the journey of VBYLD began with a nationwide online quiz conducted on the My Bharat platform, which witnessed participation of over 50 lakh youth from across the country.
He stated that around 2.5 lakh participants were shortlisted for the essay round based on ten core themes of the Viksit Bharat Challenge, and about 15,000 youth progressed to the State-level presentation rounds. He also informed that two new tracks have been introduced—Hack for Social Change, conducted across States and Union Territories by IIT Bombay, and Design for Bharat, conducted by the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, with selected teams advancing to the national round.
Shri Shira further stated that traditional track competitions were conducted across 677 districts, with 954 participants qualifying for the national level in categories including folk dance, folk music, declamation, poetry and painting. He added that the festival will also witness participation of Indian diaspora youth under the Know India Programme, along with representatives from BIMSTEC nations and Nepal.
Highlighting the thematic framework of the Youth Leaders Dialogue, Shri Shira outlined the ten themes of the Viksit Bharat Challenge, which include youth participation in democracy and governance, women-led development, fitness and sports, start-up ecosystem, India’s soft power, innovation with tradition, Atmanirbhar Bharat, sustainable agriculture, green development and building a future-ready workforce.
The press conference was also addressed by Shri Bobby Wahlang, State Youth Officer and Nodal Officer for Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026, who is leading the Meghalaya contingent to New Delhi. He stated that the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue is a key component of the 29th National Youth Festival 2026 and comprises four major components—Youth Leaders Dialogue, Cultural Tracks, Design for Bharat and Hack for Social Change.
Shri Wahlang informed that Meghalaya is participating in the Youth Leaders Dialogue, Cultural Tracks and Design for Bharat categories. Under the Design for Bharat track, two students from the National Institute of Technology, Shillong, Shri Nishant Kumar Singh and Smt. Neeharika Singh, have been selected at the national level for their innovation, a Smart Braille Watch. The assistive wearable device enables visually impaired individuals to access time and notifications through tactile Braille output, with a focus on affordability, portability and ease of use. The innovators are currently in New Delhi preparing for their national-level presentation.
He further stated that 25 youth delegates along with four officials are representing Meghalaya in the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026. These delegates were selected through a rigorous multi-stage process that began with an online quiz conducted during September–October 2025. From Meghalaya, 2,393 youth participated in the quiz, of which 475 qualified for the essay round. Following blind evaluation by domain experts as per guidelines of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, 88 youth advanced to the State Championship held on 13 December 2025, culminating in the final national selection.
Shri Wahlang also informed that 23 youth artists from Meghalaya will represent the state in traditional folk song and dance at the national level, while three youth will participate in declamation, poetry and painting competitions. These participants were selected from among 1,000 youth who took part in the State-level Chief Minister’s Youth Engagement Programme held at the NEHU campus from 2 to 5 December 2025.
The Meghalaya contingent, comprising around 50 members, is departing for New Delhi today and is scheduled to reach the national capital ahead of the commencement of the festival. During the four-day event, the youth will participate in selection rounds, thematic discussions, leadership dialogues, cultural showcases and presentations before expert panels. The programme also includes visits, orientation sessions and interactions with national icons. The youth will get an opportunity to interact with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during the festival, on National Youth Day on 12 January 2026.
The Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026 aligns with the Government of India’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, which seeks to transform India into a developed nation by the centenary year of independence. The vision focuses on inclusive growth, sustainability and effective governance, with youth playing a central role in shaping the country’s future.
