Union Ministers Mandaviya, Khadse to Lead Youth & Sports Chintan Shivir in Srinagar

The Shivir will be led by Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, and Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, Raksha Nikhil Khadse, according to a press release.

The Chintan Shivir will serve as a high-level platform for structured deliberations aimed at strengthening sports governance and youth development frameworks through enhanced Centre-State collaboration, policy alignment and institutional convergence.

Senior leadership from the Ministry, including Pallavi Jain Govil, Secretary (Youth Affairs), Nitesh Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary (Youth Affairs), and Hari Ranjan Rao, Secretary (Sports), along with representatives from key national initiatives such as Khelo India, Fit India, MY Bharat and the National Service Scheme (NSS), will participate.

The deliberations will place significant emphasis on strengthening the sports ecosystem in the country, with focused discussions on medal strategies and athlete development pathways under the Khelo India Mission, improving Centre-State coordination through the proposed Khelo Bharat Niti, and advancing systems for talent identification and grassroots sports development.

Issues related to sports governance, promotion of clean and safe sport, and the development of a robust sports goods manufacturing ecosystem will also be taken up.

The Shivir will further review the Action Taken Report of previous editions to ensure continuity, accountability and measurable outcomes. Alongside sports, the Shivir will deliberate extensively on youth affairs, with a focus on expanding engagement, improving delivery frameworks and enhancing institutional impact.

Discussions will include the Annual Action Plan 2026-27, strengthening grassroots youth club ecosystems, and enhancing digital engagement through the MY Bharat portal. Special emphasis will be placed on deepening convergence between MY Bharat and the National Service Scheme (NSS), including fund flow mechanisms and programme coordination, to improve outreach and efficiency.

Key themes such as leadership development, volunteerism, experiential learning and youth-led initiatives like the Nasha Mukti Abhiyan will also be deliberated upon. The three-day programme has been structured around the thematic framework of "Samvaad Se Samadhaan", "Samadhaan Se Sankalp" and "Aatmaavlokan", enabling dialogue, cross-learning and action-oriented outcomes.

The sessions will include keynote addresses, presentations by Ministry officials and States, sharing of best practices, structured discussions and thematic group work. Collaborative policy labs and feedback sessions will facilitate solution design and implementation planning, while real-time documentation of deliberations will support actionable outcomes.

The Shivir will also include activities aimed at promoting holistic engagement, including Yoga sessions, a Fit India Cyclothon and a cultural programme, along with opportunities for informal consultations among participating States and Union Territories.

The Chintan Shivir is envisaged as an important step towards strengthening cooperative federalism, fostering convergence across stakeholders and enhancing programme effectiveness across both sports and youth development sectors.

The outcomes are expected to guide future policy direction and contribute to building a robust sports ecosystem alongside an empowered and engaged youth base, in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.

- ANI