• 12 January 2026 marks the 163rd birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

Background:
Declaration: In 1984, the Government of India (GoI) declared 12 January, the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, as National Youth Day.
First Observance: National Youth Day was first celebrated across India on 12 January 1985
 2nd Viksit Bharat Young Leaders’ Dialogue (VBYLD 2026):
Event: The Department of Youth Affairs (DYA) under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) organised the 2nd edition of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders’ Dialogue (VBYLD 2026) from 9 to 12 January 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, Delhi, a reimagined national platform National Youth Festival, with the final day coinciding with National Youth Day.
Leadership: Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi interacted with the participants and reviewed ten high-impact thematic presentations by young leaders.
Themes: The dialogue focused on ten national priority themes such as Fit Bharat, Start-up India, Youth in Democracy, Women-Led Development, Cultural Diplomacy, Innovation with Tradition, Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Sustainable Agriculture, Green Viksit Bharat, and a Future-Ready Workforce.
Empowerment: VBYLD 2026 empowers youth to actively shape India’s journey toward Viksit Bharat@2047 by providing a national platform for their ideas.
Interaction: Union Minister of State (MoS) Dr. Jitendra Singh, Ministry of Science and Technology (MoS&T) hosted an informal dinner with youth from Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh ahead of their participation in the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders’ Dialogue 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, Delhi.
About Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS):
Union Minister – Mansukh Mandaviya (Constituency-Porbandar, Gujarat)
Minister of State (MoS) – Raksha Khadse (Constituency- Raver, Maharashtra)