Indian Institute of Technology Delhi on Sunday flagged off a 45-member youth delegation from Delhi to Chhattisgarh under Phase VI of the Centre’s Yuva Sangam initiative, aimed at promoting cultural exchange, national integration and experiential learning among young people across India.
The programme is being organised under the Government of India’s “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” initiative led by the Ministry of Education. Officials said the delegation comprises students, researchers and young professionals selected from educational institutions across Delhi.
According to IIT Delhi, the group will travel to Chhattisgarh as part of a structured cultural immersion programme designed to expose participants to the host state’s traditions, language, educational institutions, development initiatives, local industries and heritage sites.
The participants were formally flagged off during a ceremony held at the IIT Delhi campus in the presence of institute officials, faculty members and programme coordinators. Organisers said the initiative seeks to strengthen understanding between youth from different regions of the country while encouraging cross-cultural dialogue and national unity.
Under Yuva Sangam, youths from one state are paired with another state or Union Territory and participate in educational and cultural exchange visits based on the “five P’s” framework — tourism, traditions, progress, people-to-people connect and technology.
Officials said the Delhi delegation visiting Chhattisgarh will interact with local students, entrepreneurs, artisans and community groups during the programme. Visits to universities, tribal heritage centres, innovation hubs and developmental projects have also reportedly been planned as part of the itinerary.
The Yuva Sangam initiative was launched by the Union Ministry of Education in 2023 to deepen emotional bonding between different regions of India and provide youth with first-hand exposure to diverse social and cultural realities. Several IITs, central universities and higher educational institutions have been designated as nodal institutions for organising the exchanges.
IIT Delhi has actively participated in previous phases of the programme and has hosted delegations from other states as well. Officials associated with the initiative said such exchanges help students develop broader perspectives on governance, innovation, regional diversity and nation-building.
The latest delegation to Chhattisgarh comes amid continued expansion of the Yuva Sangam programme across states and Union Territories. The Ministry of Education has repeatedly highlighted the initiative as part of efforts to promote youth engagement, cultural understanding and integration through educational travel experiences.
Participants are expected to return after completing a multi-day schedule involving academic interactions, cultural activities and field visits across different districts of Chhattisgarh.