The Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, through Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat), commenced the fourth Chintan Shivir at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, Lucknow, on July 18, 2026, under the theme "Viksit Yuva for Viksit Bharat." The two-day event brought together senior officials of the Department, MY Bharat, MY Bharat National Service Scheme (NSS), District Youth Officers, Regional Directors, and field functionaries from across the Central Region to deliberate on strategies for building an empowered youth ecosystem to accelerate India's development journey.
Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, delivered the keynote address, emphasizing that the objective of organizing regional Chintan Shivirs was to create a culture of dialogue, collaboration, and shared learning among grassroots officers. He described MY Bharat as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to nurture capable young leaders for Viksit Bharat @2047, specifically referencing the goal of developing one lakh young leaders from every section of society. The Minister urged District Youth Officers and NSS functionaries to intensify the MY Bharat registration drive until August 15 by reaching schools, colleges, universities, and local communities. He announced the expansion of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) to include State-level editions alongside the National Dialogue.
Smt. Raksha Nikhil Khadse, Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, reported that MY Bharat has achieved over two crore registrations, making it the country's largest youth platform. She emphasized that the Chintan Shivir has institutionalized dialogue-driven governance, stating "Without Samvaad, there can be no Samadhaan." She reaffirmed the Ministry's commitment to strengthening grassroots youth engagement through Centre-State collaboration and referenced the Viksit Vibrant Village Program's success in promoting national integration.
Shri Girish Chandra Yadav, Minister of Sports & Youth Welfare, Government of Uttar Pradesh, described MY Bharat as a movement of innovation, patriotism, and youth leadership that would play a pivotal role in realizing the Viksit Bharat vision. He urged officers to transform every Gram Panchayat, block, and educational institution into centers of youth leadership and community action, calling for replication of successful grassroots initiatives in environmental protection, digital literacy, disaster management, cleanliness, and women safety.
Dr. Pallavi Jain Govil, Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, emphasized that the Department is strengthening convergence between MY Bharat and NSS, improving institutional mechanisms, and promoting meaningful youth engagement beyond registrations. She stated that registration alone is not the destination, but rather building platforms for nation-building and experiential learning.
The technical sessions included presentations on the MY Bharat Portal, digital youth onboarding and engagement, the MY Bharat–NSS fund flow mechanism, interdepartmental convergence, and the Annual Action Plan 2026–27. Best practices were presented by Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Dr. Priyanka Shukla, Chief Executive Officer of MY Bharat, highlighted the ongoing "Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat" campaign, which will organize three-tier level cultural competitions culminating at the National Youth Summit in Delhi to promote awareness and build Nasha Mukt Bharat.
The first day concluded with the formation of thematic working groups to refine recommendations for presentation on the second day, reinforcing the Department's commitment to collaborative, outcome-oriented governance and strengthening the MY Bharat ecosystem.