Bhubaneswar, 24th December, 2025 : The State Youth Festival 2025 was inaugurated with much enthusiasm and grandeur at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar. 

Odisha’s Sports and Youth Services Minister Shri Suryabanshi Suraj formally inaugurated the three-day festival and urged the youth of the state to emerge as the driving force of a self-reliant India.

The festival has been organised with the objective of fostering enthusiasm, creativity and a spirit of innovation among the youth. Young talents from all corners of Odisha have congregated at the venue, reflecting the vibrant energy and aspirations of the state’s younger generation.

Addressing the gathering, the Minister said that the youth of Odisha would not merely be spectators to change but would actively lead the process of transformation. He underlined the prominent role of young people in shaping the future. 

Describing youth as the architects of future, he emphasised that their innovative thinking and creativity would play a decisive role in realising the vision of Viksit Odisha 2036 & Vikshit  Bharat 2047.

The festival has drawn participation from over 800 talented youths representing all 30 districts of the state. A wide array of competitions is being conducted in disciplines such as elocution, poetry writing, story writing, folk dance, folk music and fine arts, providing a platform for young participants to showcase their skills and cultural heritage.

Winners of the state-level competitions will represent Odisha at the National Youth Festival, also known as the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, scheduled to be held in New Delhi in January 2026.

The inaugural ceremony offered a captivating glimpse of Odisha’s rich art and cultural traditions. Highlights included impressive sand art by renowned artist Sudam Pradhan, patriotic performances by the Naval Band of INS Chilika and an entertaining comic performance by popular comedian Pragyan Khatua. The musical evening by acclaimed playback singer Diptirekha Padhi emerged as one of the major attractions of the programme.

Shri Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Sports and Youth Services Department delivered the welcome address at the inaugural programme.  Dr Yedula Vijay,  Director Sports,  Shri Bijay Kumar Swain, Additional Secretary,  Shri Ashok Kumar Panda, Additional Secretary and other senior officials were present on the occasion.

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