In a powerful address that blended urgency with hope, Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati on Sunday called upon the state’s youth to take the frontline in building a Nisha-Mukta (drug-free) Bharat. Speaking at the ‘Nisha-Mukta Yuba Sachetana o Yuba Sashaktikaran Abhiyan’ for a Developed India at Kalinga Stadium, the Governor declared that the nation’s future will not be shaped merely by policies or infrastructure, but by the values, decisions and sense of responsibility of its young generation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had virtually inaugurated the nationwide campaign, describing it as the beginning of a national resolve for a healthy, confident and addiction-free India. Praising the Prime Minister’s visionary leadership, Governor Kambhampati said the ‘Nisha-Mukta Bharat’ vision rightly recognises youth as the country’s greatest strength. “A healthy, disciplined and determined young generation will play the decisive role in realising a Developed India by 2047,” he asserted.
The Governor painted a stark picture of addiction’s silent destruction. “Drugs quietly shatter the dreams of youth, weaken their judgment and snatch away opportunities for success. It does not stop at the individual—it inflicts mental and financial agony on families and robs society and the nation of productive citizens,” he said. Rejecting narcotics, he emphasised, is not just a personal choice but a collective duty of families, teachers, friends and the country itself.
Urging young people to embrace a purposeful life, Dr. Kambhampati advised them to turn to sports, fitness, yoga, culture, innovation and voluntary service. Highlighting Odisha’s emergence as a leading sports state, he appealed: “Choose the playground over drugs, education over addiction, and social service over self-destruction.” He stressed that only a combined effort by parents, teachers, educational institutions, society and the youth can build a drug-free society.
In a stirring close, the Governor called on the young audience to become ambassadors of the movement—remaining drug-free themselves while spreading messages of awareness, empathy and social responsibility. He administered the ‘Nisha Mukta Yuba – Bikashita Bharat Sankalpa Abhiyan’ oath to all present.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, also present, hailed the Prime Minister’s far-sighted leadership and described Gen-Z and youth power as the “chief Vishwakarma” of Developed India 2047. “Addiction is no longer just a health issue; it is a major obstacle to social and economic progress,” the CM said. Reaffirming the state government’s zero-tolerance policy against illegal drug trade and syndicates, he backed the slogan “Nisha ku Na, Jiban o Pragati ku Haan” (No to drugs, Yes to life and progress). He urged educational institutions, industries, NGOs, volunteers and the media to join forces for the success of this people’s movement.
Sports & Youth Services, Higher Education, and Odia Language, Literature & Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj also addressed the gathering, encouraging youth to actively participate in the national campaign.
The event marked a significant step in Odisha’s commitment to channel the energy of its young population away from the clutches of addiction and towards nation-building. As the Governor’s words echoed through Kalinga Stadium, one message rang clear: a drug-free India begins with a drug-free youth—and that responsibility starts now.
