Bhubaneswar: Suryabanshi Suraj, Odisha’s minister of Sports and Youth Services, on Wednesday inaugurated the ‘Viksit Bharat Youth Leadership Dialogue (VBYLD)-2027’ at Kalinga Stadium.
Implemented by ‘MY Bharat’ under the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the initiative offers young people a national platform to contribute their ideas toward the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’.
Addressing a press conference, Suraj said that the campaign aims to help youth bridge the gap from classrooms to boardrooms and playgrounds to parliament.
In order to turn these innovative ideas into practical products and services, the government is collaborating with premier institutions like IITs. The state’s Sports and Youth Services Department is also partnering with ‘MY Bharat’ and National Service Scheme (NSS) to drive widespread awareness across Odisha.
Suraj reminded everyone of Swami Vivekananda’s message on the power of youth, and urged young talent from across the state to actively take part.
The selection process begins with the online ‘Viksit Bharat Quiz,’ which began on August 17 and will continue till September 30, 2026, for those in the age group of 15 to 29.
Successful participants will qualify for a 500-word essay writing competition, followed by district and state-level rounds. The final state delegates will travel to New Delhi to present their vision directly to Union ministers, senior officials and the Prime Minister.
The program includes six core tracks – Viksit Bharat Challenge, Cultural Track, Design for Bharat, Hack for Social Cause, Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, and Youth Parliament. Students from schools, colleges and universities across Odisha can register on MY Bharat portal at https://mybharat.gov.in/vbyld-2027.