PM Modi to inaugurate National Youth Festival in Karnataka on Thursday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the National Youth Festival in Karnataka's Hubbali on Thursday, an event that is being held on the National Youth Day which is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand to honour his ideals, teachings and contributions.

"Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the 26th National Youth Festival in Hubbali at around 4 pm," a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office said.

The National Youth Festival is held every year to provide exposure to talented youth at the national level and galvanise them towards nation-building.

It brings diverse cultures from all parts of the country on a common platform and unites the participants in the spirit of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat'.

This year, the festival is being held in Hubballi-Dharwad in Karnataka from January 12-16, with the theme being "Viksit Yuva--Viksit Bharat".

The Festival will witness Youth Summit, which will witness plenary discussions on five themes stemming from G20 and Y20 events -- Future of work, Industry, Innovation and 21st Century Skills; Climate change and disaster risk reduction; Peace building and Reconciliation; Shared future-youth in democracy and governance; and Health and Well-being, according to the statement.

The Summit will witness participation of more than 60 eminent experts. Several competitive and non-competitive events will also be held.

Competitive events will include folk dances and songs, and will be held to provide an impetus to local traditional cultures, the statement said.

Non-competitive events will include Yogathon which aims to mobilise close to 10 lakh people to do Yoga, it said.

Eight indigenous sports and martial arts will also be presented during the event by national level performers. Other attractions at the festival include a food festival, young artist camp, adventure sports activities and special 'Know Your Army, Navy and Air Force' camps.