Youth power is the key to building a self-reliant India
By Bishnupriya Mohanty
Bhubaneswar, Sept. 13: On the occasion of the 132nd birth anniversary of Bharat RatnaAcharyaVinobaBhave and the 75th anniversary of the Bhoodan Movement, a special discussion titled “Atmanirbhar Bharat O Yuvashakti” (Self-Reliant India and Youth Power: From Vision to Action) was organised by VinobaSevaPratisthan at JayadevBhawan, Bhubaneswar.
The programme was presided over by Dr.BhagabanPrakash, President of VinobaSevaPratisthan. Mr. Manoj Jena, General Secretary of the organisation, delivered the welcome address and outlined the aims and objectives of the programme.
During the event, the prestigious “Gandhi–Vinoba Peace Award” was conferred upon Prof. Das Benhur, eminent educationist and writer, and Mr.MukteswarPradhan, Bhoodan&Sarvodaya worker, in recognition of their contributions to community service, social justice, Peace and human dignity.
The discussion focused on connecting AcharyaVinobaBhave’s ideals of the Bhoodan Movement, non-violence, Sarvodaya, and Gram Swaraj with the aspirations of today’s youth. Speakers also deliberated on the role of youth power in building a self-reliant India. They emphasised that young people are not merely the citizens of tomorrow but also the principal agents of change in the present.
Dr.ReenaRoutray, Chairperson of MahilaAtmanirbharAbhiyan(MAA), coordinated the programme. The young legislator, Ms. Sofia Firdous, inspired the youth to become job creators rather than job seekers. She emphasised that, through new ideas and innovation, young minds can transform India’s development trajectory and help realise the vision of India envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi and AcharyaVinobaBhave.
Mr.Sanjeev Kumar, President of the Eastern India Development Forum shared his views on youth power, values, and nation-building.
Youth representatives from various political parties and several distinguished personalities attended the programme as guests. Ms.LatikaPradhan, former MLA,Mr.Jayanta Kumar Das, Senior Advocate and Advisor, VSPand Mr Prahallad Singh eminent Gandhian Columnist participated as prominent guest speakers.
More than 500 young men and women from various districts of Odisha attended the programme and actively participated in the discussion.
A quiz competition was also organised to deepen awareness among the youth about AcharyaVinobaBhave’s thoughts, Gandhian values, self-reliance, and the spirit of nation-building.
Students actively shared their views, questions, and ideas during the programme. The discussion primarily aimed to inspire self-reliance, entrepreneurship, social responsibility, and patriotism among young people.
Mr.PrasannaBisoi, Coordinator of VinobaSevaPratisthan, assisted in conducting the programme and offered vote of thanks.
At the conclusion, the speakers observed that the greatest tribute to AcharyaVinobaBhave would be to ensure that his ideas are not confined to the pages of history but are connected with the thoughts, actions, and leadership of today’s youth. It was emphasised that self-reliant youth power is the foundation for building a strong, egalitarian, and peaceful India.
At the beginning of the programme, students were asked general knowledge questions related to AcharyaVinobaBhave, and prizes were distributed to the participants who answered correctly.
