20th National Youth Festival inaugurated in Naya Raipur

The 20th National Youth Festival was on 12 January 2016 inaugurated by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari at Rajyostav Sthal in Naya Raipur, Chhattisgarh to mark the National Youth Day.

The five day long annual festival is celebrated by the Union Government in partnership with a state government on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

For the 20th National Youth Festival, Chhattisgarh was chosen as the partner state with the theme India Youth for Skill, Development and Harmony.

Features of 20th National Youth Festival

• It is an annual gathering of students being jointly organised by Chhattisgarh Sports and Youth Welfare Department, Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangthan and National Service Scheme.
• The festival will see the participation of over 6000 youths from across the country except West Bengal.
• It will see contests in 18 different disciplines, including folk dance, folk song, drama, classical music, classical dance, extempore etc.
• For the first time in the youth festival, para-trooping would be displayed by the Indian Army along with weapons and explosives used during war.
• It comprises a Youth Parliament where representatives of student unions and Universities would discuss key issues of the country particularly on the theme-India Youth for Skill, Development and Harmony.

• National Industry Conclave: The conclave, which is held annually during the festival, saw the participation of various ministries and companies.
• In the conclave, the participants discussed issues related to skill development such as public private participation, reforms in skills for industrial development and improving livelihood in rural India through Skill India.
• On this occasion, Tata Group announced that it would establish 40 skill centres.
• Mascot: Wild Buffalo, the state animal of Chhattisgarh, in famous dancing pose was chosen as the mascot of the event.
• The mascot was named as Sanghi (friend), which symbolises strength, gives message of physical fitness to youth of nation and its dancing pose signifies festive zeal.

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