The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, through Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat), organised 100 Yuva Samvads across 23 States/UTs today as part of its nationwide ‘Viksit Bharat Yuva Samvad: Know Your Vote’ campaign, aimed at promoting electoral awareness and encouraging informed and responsible participation of young people in democracy. The programmes brought together over 16,600 youth and 100 Youth Icons, with interactions involving public representatives and discussions on voting rights, civic responsibilities and the role of young people in strengthening democracy.
The events covered Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh in northern India; Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry in the south; Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Mizoram in the North-East; Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal in the east; Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh in central India; and Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan in western India. With today's programmes, the campaign, being held from 26.10.2026 to 05.11.2026, has reached a cumulative 411 Yuva Samvads across 31 States/UTs, with the participation of 77,500 youth and 411 Youth Icons.
In Delhi, Union Minister Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal participated in a Yuva Samvad in the Mehrauli area, interacting with students and addressing their queries on electoral processes. In Haryana, Member of Parliament from Bhiwani, Shri Chaudhary Dharambir Singh, interacted with young participants and shared insights on voting and electoral awareness. In Punjab, MY Bharat organised programmes in Ludhiana, in collaboration with CT University, and at Guru Arjan Dev College in Tarn Taran.
In Assam, Members of Parliament Shri Pradan Baruah and Shri Ranjit Dutta interacted with young participants in Dhemaji and Tezpur (Sonitpur), respectively. The discussions provided students an opportunity to raise questions, seek clarification and gain guidance on voter awareness and democratic participation. In Chhattisgarh, MY Bharat organised Yuva Samvads in Dhamtari and Kawardha. In Dhamtari, Member of Parliament Smt. Rupkumari Choudhary addressed students' queries, while Youth Icon Shri Gulab Singh Verma highlighted voting rights and civic responsibilities through a presentation on ‘Your Vote, Your Voice’. In Kawardha, the MP interacted with youth, and Youth Icon Ms. Aditi Mishra encouraged informed citizenship. Participants also took a pledge to fulfil their responsibilities as citizens.
In Bihar, the programme in Bhagalpur focused on voter registration, electoral procedures and the importance of independent and ethical voting. Discussions also encouraged first-time voters to participate responsibly in the democratic process and exercise their choices without inducement or undue influence.
Madhya Pradesh witnessed Yuva Samvads in Anuppur, Damoh, Jhabua, Khargone (West Nimar) and Mandla. The programmes featured introductions to MY Bharat activities, ‘Know Your Vote’ presentations, interactions with young participants and collective Loktantrik pledges. The session in Mandla also brought together youth perspectives, interactions with elected representatives and sporting experiences, reaffirming the importance of democratic values and nation-building.
The nationwide initiative is taking discussions on democratic participation to colleges and educational institutions, bringing young people into direct interaction with public representatives and providing them a platform to discuss their role as informed citizens.