Imphal: Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Tuesday interacted with selected young leaders from the state who will represent Manipur at the 29th National Youth Festival (NYF) 2026 – Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD).
The Governor interacted with the participants during a send-off ceremony held at the Banquet Hall of Lok Bhavan in Imphal.
A total of 39 youths, selected through a rigorous multi-tier process from various institutions across Manipur, will participate in the national event.
The National Youth Festival has been organised annually since 1995 to commemorate Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary on January 12. The festival has been restructured as the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) to align with the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision.
The 29th NYF–VBYLD 2026, organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, will be held from January 9 to 12, 2026, 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 track-wise presentations before Union Ministers. Selected young leaders will also present their ideas on the national platform, with the concluding ceremony to be graced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congratulating the participants, the Governor encouraged them to actively engage in discussions, exchange ideas with 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 also attended by N Praveen, Secretary, Youth Affairs and Sports (YAS), Government of Manipur, and N Lokendro, Vice-Chancellor of Manipur University.