NEW DELHI: The nationwide ‘Viksit Bharat Yuva Samvad: Know Your Vote’ campaign, organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports through Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat), has concluded after reaching 1,00,493 young people through 536 programmes across 31 States and Union Territories.
Conducted from October 26 to November 5, the campaign aimed to promote electoral awareness, informed voting and responsible democratic participation, with a particular focus on first-time voters. It had set a target of reaching 500 universities, colleges and educational institutions across the country.
The concluding day on Friday saw 123 Yuva Samvads organised across 28 States and Union Territories, involving 22,588 young people and 123 Youth Icons.
The campaign brought discussions on voting rights, electoral procedures and civic responsibilities to educational institutions, providing students an opportunity to interact directly with public representatives and Youth Icons.
Governors, Union Ministers, State Ministers, Members of Parliament and other public representatives participated in programmes across the country.
Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh Gulab Chand Kataria attended a programme in Chandigarh, while Nagaland Governor Nand Kishore Yadav participated in an event in Dimapur. In Delhi, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Arjun Ram Meghwal and Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu interacted with students.
Members of Parliament, including Chaudhary Dharambir Singh, Pradan Baruah, Ranjit Dutta, Rupkumari Choudhary and Mahesh Kashyap, also took part in programmes in different States.
Sports personalities and Youth Icons from the sporting community participated in several sessions, sharing their experiences and encouraging young people to engage in sports.
In Punjab, international rugby player Amandeep Kaur spoke about her sporting journey and the role of sports in building discipline and confidence, while rowing Sports Icon Kulwinder Singh interacted with students in Moga. In Rajasthan, Sports Icon Bhumika Shukla engaged with young participants in Jaipur, while programmes in Uttar Pradesh highlighted cycling and initiatives such as Khelo India.
The Yuva Samvads enabled participants to seek clarification on electoral procedures, discuss their voting rights and civic responsibilities, and understand the importance of making informed choices. Sessions also stressed the need to verify information through authentic sources and exercise critical judgement while engaging with public issues.
Quizzes, question-and-answer sessions, the Loktantrik Pledge and registration on the MY Bharat portal were among the activities conducted during the campaign.
The initiative sought to encourage young citizens to become informed voters and active participants in the democratic process.
