Bhubaneswar: Odisha has launched the state-level campaign for the Viksit Bharat Youth Leadership Dialogue (VBYLD)-2027, inviting young people aged 15 to 29 to share ideas and innovative solutions for the vision of a developed India by 2047.
Sports and Youth Services Minister Suryabanshi Suraj inaugurated the initiative at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. Implemented by MY Bharat under the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the programme seeks to provide youth with a national platform to present their ideas and participate in shaping the country’s development agenda.
Speaking at the launch, Suraj said the initiative would help bridge the gap between classrooms and boardrooms, as well as playgrounds and Parliament, by creating opportunities for young people to engage directly with policymaking and nation-building.
The state Sports and Youth Services Department is partnering with MY Bharat and the National Service Scheme (NSS) to take the campaign across Odisha and encourage wider participation. The government is also collaborating with premier institutions, including the IITs, to help transform promising youth ideas into practical products and services.
The selection process will begin with the online Viksit Bharat Quiz, scheduled from August 17 to September 30, 2026. Participants who qualify will move on to a 500-word essay competition, followed by district- and state-level rounds.
The final state-level delegates will get an opportunity to travel to New Delhi and present their vision before Union Ministers, senior officials and the Prime Minister.
The programme features six tracks—Viksit Bharat Challenge, Cultural Track, Design for Bharat, Hack for Social Cause, Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge and Youth Parliament—covering areas ranging from innovation and culture to entrepreneurship and public policy.
Urging young people across Odisha to participate actively, Suraj invoked Swami Vivekananda’s message on the transformative power of youth and called upon young talent to use the platform to contribute ideas for the country’s future.
Students from schools, colleges and universities can register through the MY Bharat portal.
Sports Director Dr Yeddula Vijay, Additional Secretary of the Sports and Youth Services Department Sudhakar Naik, and state directors of MY Bharat and NSS were among those present at the launch.
