The ‘State Youth Festival 2025’ was inaugurated amid much fanfare today at the Kalinga Stadium complex in Bhubaneswar. Odisha’s Sports and Youth Services Minister Suryabanshi Suraj formally opened the event, emphasising the pivotal role of the state’s youth in nation-building.
Organised to foster enthusiasm, creativity, and a new awakening among Odisha’s youth, the festival has brought together talented young participants from every corner of the state. In his inaugural address, Minister Suraj stated that Odisha’s younger generation will not merely witness change but will lead it. This year’s theme, ‘Pragatira Sarathi, Ama Yubashakti’ (Drivers of Progress, Our Youth Power), underscores the youth as charioteers of progress and architects of the future.
He highlighted that innovative thinking and fresh ideas from the youth will play a crucial role in realising the dream of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’ – a developed India by 2047.
The three-day festival features over 800 talented young men and women from all 30 districts of Odisha. Competitions are being held in various categories, including oratory, poetry writing, story writing, folk dance, folk songs, and painting.
Winners of the state-level competitions will represent Odisha at the upcoming National Youth Festival, also known as the ‘Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue’, scheduled to be held in New Delhi in January 2026.
The inauguration ceremony showcased a vibrant glimpse of Odisha’s art and culture. Renowned sand artist Sudam Pradhan’s captivating sand sculpture, patriotic music by the INS Chilika Naval Band, and humorous performance by comedian Prajna Khatua entertained the audience. The evening’s highlight was a musical performance by popular singer Diptirekha Padhi.
The program also saw a welcome address by Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Sports and Youth Services Sachin Ramchandra Yadav. Key officials present included Sports Director Dr. Yedula Vijay, Additional Secretaries Vijay Kumar Swain and Ashok Kumar Panda.
The festival is widely seen as a powerful platform for expressing the boundless enthusiasm and talent of Odisha’s youth, paving the way for their contributions to a developed nation.
