The Delhi Branch of Vivekananda Kendra Kanyakumari started a youth leadership development program named Young India: Know Thyself: A leadership Development program in 2017. This year (2023), the program has reached its seventh season. Shri Nikhil Yadav, Prant Yuva Pramukh, Vivekananda Kendra, Uttar Prant informed that in 2022-23, more than a thousand students from Delhi University attended the day-long orientation workshop of YIKT. Most of these students were Undergraduates since the program is designed for youth ages 16 and 23. Students from several Delhi University colleges from across campuses have participated in this program. Some of the leading participants are from Miranda House, Bhagini Nivedita, Deshbandhu, Daulat Ram, Swami Sharadhanand, PGDAV (Morning and Evening college), Maharaja Agrasen College, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College (Morning and Evening), Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, Janki Devi Memorial College, Shaheed Rajguru College of Applied for Women, Ramjas, among others.
Most of these orientations were held at Vivekananda Kendra Chanakyapuri, New Delhi center. At the same time, some of these orientations got organized on college campuses. These orientations (workshops) are designed to introduce the younger generation to the ideas of Swami Vivekananda. Each orientation (workshop) lasts four hours and includes Geet, several games, skit preparation, presentation, group discussion (GD), and presentation.
What is Young India: Know Thyself Program?
The Young India program is a 4-a-pronged process, which is as follows:
1. Registration: Physically in college with one-to-one interaction. Any young person between the age of 16-23 can register.
2. Online test: Based on Indian culture, civilization, and the life of Swami Vivekananda to test awareness and sincerity. It consists of 40 questions. (20 points)
3. Workshop: It consists of games, group discussions, and a presentation, skit presentation to check the group dynamics, discipline, and initiative. (50 points)
4. Residential camp: Selected participants are invited to a five-day residential camp. All activities are done in groups. It consists of games, yoga, Surya Namaskar, Agyabhyas for martial spirit, intellectual lectures, group discussions, Vedic chanting, and many more activities. Participants can utilize around 16 hours in a day. The whole process is designed to impact all the dimensions of one’s personality, such as physical, mental, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual.
