The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India, has facilitated the selection of three Sanchar Mitras (youth volunteers) from India as Generation Connect Youth Envoys (GCYE) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the period 2026–2030. The selected envoys are Ankit Kumar Pal from Delhi, Manish Kumar Mandal from Bengaluru, and Susmita Sain from Guwahati, recognized for their contributions under the Sanchar Mitra scheme of DoT.
The selection was announced during the International Youth Day 2026 celebrations under the theme "Different Contexts, Common Aspirations" through the virtual "Passing the Torch: Connecting Generations of Digital Leaders" event. The Generation Connect Youth Envoys programme provides young people with opportunities to contribute to national, regional, and global discussions and initiatives related to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), digital transformation, and inclusive digital development.
This initiative aligns with the objectives of the Sanchar Mitra Scheme, which engages young people in telecom and digital initiatives and provides them exposure to national and international platforms. The scheme specifically targets students from technical institutes with active telecom, electronics, computers, cybersecurity, or similar programs, with more than 200 institutions currently participating across all states/UTs through DoT's LSA field offices.
Sanchar Mitras conduct awareness drives in communities, educational institutions, and public spaces focusing on citizen-centric telecom services, prevention of telecom frauds, mobile security, digital safety, and responsible telecom usage. The selection process for ITU envoys sought candidates with demonstrated engagement in youth-led initiatives, digital inclusion, ICT education and skills, research and technical activities, entrepreneurship and innovation, and community-level ICT initiatives.