National Youth Parliament Festival: Ensuring youth participation in democracy

We cannot always build the future for our youth but we can build our youth for the future.

– Franklin Roosevelt

(March 12, 2023) In 2017, during the December 31 episode of his radio programme, Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his desire to make the youth of India the think tanks of democracy. “I have an idea to organize mock parliaments in every district of India, where the youth between 18 and 25 can sit together and brainstorm on ‘New India’, find ways for the country’s betterment and chalk out plans,” he had said. 

Shortly after, the first edition of the National Youth Parliament Festival (NYPF) kicked off in 2019, with the objective to help youngsters understand the workings of Parliament, and become integral forces of democracy. Since then, after competing for selection in the district and state-level mock parliaments, successful youngsters get the opportunity to participate in the annual event – National Youth Parliament Festival at Parliament complex, New Delhi. 

Fourth edition of NYPF  

The fourth edition of NYPF launched with the theme ‘Ideas for a Better Tomorrow: India for the World’ commenced on 2nd March 2023 in the Central Hall of Parliament, New Delhi. The event saw the participation of 87 state level winners competing for the top three positions, with 29 finalists speaking in front of a national jury in the Parliament Declamation Contest. The remaining 58 attended the proceedings. The jury members included, members of parliament and also secretaries from the ministry of youth affairs and sports.

Speaker of Lok Sabha, Om Birla, who felicitated the winners in the Central Hall of the Parliament, mentioned that the very spot in which the winners were gathered was also witness to the transfer of power from Britain to India. “It was here in the Central Hall that India’s freedom fighters and Constitution makers prepared the supreme law of the nation – the Constitution of India,” he said. Just as it is done in parliament sessions, live streaming of NYPF 2023 was done by the ministry of youth affairs and sports. 

Speaking on the occasion, Anurag Singh Thakur, minister for youth affairs and sports remarked:

District Youth Parliaments (DYP) were conducted to select members for the State Youth Parliament (SYP). More than two lakh youngsters from 748 districts of all the states and union territories of India participated at 150 venues nationwide.

The minister for youth affairs and sports also pointed out that girls have outnumbered boys in NYPF and lauded them for their active participation. Global Indian puts the spotlight on the winners of this year’s edition. 

Aastha Sharma  

Winner of first prize  

Hailing from Loshta village in Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh Aastha is a second year BSc student of Centre of Excellence College, Sanjauli. The daughter of an apple orchardist stirred the audience with her powerful speech bagging the first prize. Quoting Franklin Roosevelt she said, ‘we cannot always build future for our youth but we can build our youth for the future.’  

 

Talking on the behalf of all youngsters she mentioned, “we all have set our goals for 2047 and have dreams of a future-ready India. Youth has the potential of doing so. The only need is to provide them with resources and a good chance.”  

Naresh Chhetri  

Winner of second prize  

The youngster from Sikkim was all praise for India and its leadership. “We have been divided into the first world and the third world but making it ‘one world’ is an initiative that has been taken by India,’ he said. “The whole world is looking at India not just as an export market but a competitive force that can globally lead,” he added. 

 

Naresh who hails from Mangan district of Sikkim, also talked about G20 Presidency of India and how its theme ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or ‘One Earth. One Family. One Future’ reflects India’s perspective that the world is one big family. 

Mahira Khan 

Winner of third prize  

Speaking in the context of the ‘Millet Mission’ and the ‘National Health Protection Scheme,’ Mahira Khan said, “Today our jowar, bajra and ragi are being celebrated as super foods all over, and the world looks at ‘Ayush’ for a healthy lifestyle. In us lies immense abilities to solve any internal or external conflict through peace, passion and compassion.” 

 

Mahira hails from Raipur, Chhattisgarh from where she pursued her bachelors. Currently pursuing masters in mass communication from Jamia Milia Islamia University, the youngster belongs to a family of businessmen who have encouraged her to participate in several national level oratory competitions in the past.  

• Watch the full valedictory function of NYPF 2023 on YouTube