Meghalaya Governor C.H. Vijayashankar on Friday presided over an orientation program for the state’s selected youth contingent ahead of the 29th National Youth Festival, scheduled from January 9 to 12 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

The Governor briefed the delegates on their role in the Viksit Bharat Young Leader Dialogue and encouraged them to showcase Meghalaya’s talent at the national stage. The festival will feature the Youth Leader Dialogue, Cultural Tracks, Design for Bharat, and Hack for Social Change.

Meghalaya’s 50-member contingent includes 25 participants for the Young Leader Dialogue, 23 for the Cultural Track, and 2 innovators for the Design for Bharat challenge. Nishant Kr. Singh and Neeharika Singh from NIT Shillong were specially recognized for their “Smart Braille Watch,” an affordable assistive device for visually impaired individuals.

In his address, the Governor highlighted the importance of planning, hard work, and determination, citing examples of a young mountaineer and a para-athlete from Shillong. Bobby Wahlang, Nodal Officer for the Youth Leader Dialogue, noted that the delegates were selected from over 50 lakh entries nationwide.

The Meghalaya youth will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 11 to present their ideas at the national level.

Dignitaries at the program included officials from the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, My Bharat Kendra, State NSS, and other allied departments.

The orientation marks a key step in Meghalaya’s youth empowerment initiatives, reflecting the state’s commitment to contributing to the ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision.