Shillong, Jan 2: Meghalaya has secured a prominent national footprint at the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) 2026, with a diverse group of youth innovators, artists and performers selected to represent the state at one of India’s flagship youth platforms.

Governor C. H. Vijayashankar on Friday interacted with and felicitated the selected delegates, describing them as “torchbearers of a future-ready India.” The interaction was held at Lok Bhavan, the Raj Bhavan in Shillong, during a meet-and-greet programme organised by the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, in collaboration with My Bharat Kendra.

Congratulating the delegates for clearing a rigorous, multi-stage national selection process, the Governor stressed that leadership must be grounded in character, discipline and service. “True leadership is about empowerment, not authority. This platform gives you the opportunity to shape ideas that can meaningfully contribute to a Viksit Bharat,” he said.

Highlighting the potential of Meghalaya’s youth, the Governor cited the example of Rifiness Warjri, an NCC cadet from the state who summited Mount Everest at just 20, as proof that determination and clarity of purpose can help young people overcome formidable challenges.

A key highlight for Meghalaya this year is its representation in the prestigious Design for Bharat track. Two students from National Institute of Technology Shillong—Nishant Kumar Singh and Necharika Singh—have been selected for their innovation, a Smart Braille Watch. The assistive wearable device enables visually impaired users to access time and notifications through tactile Braille output and is designed to be affordable, portable and user-friendly. The innovators are currently in New Delhi preparing to present their project before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and national-level domain experts.

Beyond innovation, Meghalaya’s youth will also make their mark across multiple cultural and intellectual categories. Ashita Kar, a Class XI student from East Khasi Hills, will present her vision on building a future-ready workforce. “I hope youth ideas from across the country are heard and implemented towards Viksit Bharat 2047,” she said.

Akbarlang Synteng Nongdhar, also from East Khasi Hills, will represent the state in the Folk Dance category, while football coach Elbonson Marbaniang from Mawsynram said the delegation would perform the traditional Ka Shad Mastieh dance at the national event.

In all, 25 youth delegates from Meghalaya have been selected for VBYLD 2026, alongside 23 youth artists for the Cultural Track and three participants for declamation, poetry and painting events. The selection process began with a nationwide online quiz on the My Bharat Portal in September–October 2025, which saw participation from nearly 50 lakh youth across India. From Meghalaya, 2,393 youth took part, with 475 qualifying for the essay round. After blind evaluation and a state-level championship, final selections were approved following leadership assessment interviews by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The selected delegates will interact with the Prime Minister on January 11 during the 29th National Youth Festival 2026, to be held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from January 9 to 12. The festival will feature four key components—Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, Cultural Tracks, Design for Bharat and Hack for Social.

Also Read: Meghalaya bids farewell to Skylance G. Momin with guard of honour

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