Background and Rationale

Swami Vivekananda’s birth anniversary, observed as National Youth Day, provides an important occasion to reflect on the role of young people in shaping a just, progressive, and morally grounded society. Youth represent one of the most powerful demographic forces because of the unique combination of creativity, resilience, and purpose that they embody. In the rapidly transforming India, young people stand at the threshold of unprecedented opportunities: technological growth, entrepreneurship, social innovation, and collaborative nation-building. Yet true progress requires more than participation; it demands an awakening of inner strength, clarity of purpose, and a conscious commitment to the collective good.

The theme “Awakening the Potential Within” highlights the need to activate one’s intrinsic capabilities, self-belief, ethical conviction, compassion, and courage, so that youth move from passive involvement to active nation-building. With an awakened inner potential, youth are better equipped to address contemporary challenges such as climate responsibility, digital inclusion, sustainable development, and community upliftment. The theme calls upon students from higher education institutions to reflect on the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and embody his ideals of self-discipline, service, and the fearless pursuit of a higher purpose, while channelizing their energy toward constructive, ethical, and sustainable nation-building pathways.

About NIFT Gandhinagar

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Gandhinagar, established in 1995, is one of India’s leading institutions for fashion education, research, and innovation, operating under the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. Located in the Infocity area of Gandhinagar, the campus is equipped with advanced design studios, laboratories, IT-enabled classrooms, an auditorium, and a well-resourced library, fostering a vibrant academic environment for creative and technological learning. Over the years, the campus has established itself as a leader in product development, interventions in the crafts sector, as well as in the field of advanced textile and apparel technology.

NIFT Gandhinagar has had the privilege of hosting several distinguished panel discussions on pressing and contemporary themes such as Khadi’s Role in Sustainable Fashion, Transformation in the Apparel Sector, and Viksit Bharat agenda with ‘Virasat’ and ‘Vikas.’ The institute has also organized highly acclaimed international conferences, including “Tracing Seventy-Five Years of Indian Fashion Post-Independence” in 2022, “आज़ादी का अमृत महोत्सव; “INDIA@100: Building ‘Atmanirbhar’ Bharat from Farm to Fashion to Future” in 2023 and “Intertwining Sustainability with Mission LiFE: Fashion, Entrepreneurship and Cultural Integration in Harmony” in 2024.

Symposium Aim

To celebrate National Youth Day by creating a platform that inspires, develops, and mobilizes youth towards ethical leadership, personal growth, and socially impactful engagement in accordance with Swami Vivekananda’s ideals.

Symposium Aim

1. To introduce and reinforce the relevance of Swami Vivekananda’s teachings for contemporary youth.
2. To provide students with opportunities for self-reflection and intellectual exchange.
3. To promote inter-college collaboration and create a network of young changemakers.

Target Audience & Registration:

Interested undergraduate and postgraduate students of the higher educational institutes can give symposium participation confirmation and can upload their competition entries using the link: CLICK HERE

Event Patron

Prof. (Dr.) Sameer Sood, Director, NIFT Gandhinagar

Coordinating Team

Prof. (Dr.) Harleen Sahni, Dr. Nupur Chopra(Associate Professor), Dr. Jai Kishan Sambharia(Assistant Professor), Dr. Kaja Bantha Navas R(Assistant Professor)

Call for Submission for Inter-College Youth Engagement Competitions

Competition 1: Storytelling

Theme: “Muscles of Iron, Nerves of Steel” — Strength in Action

Submission Deadline: 3rd January 2026

Submission Guidelines

Craft a story based on real or inspired by real experiences, reflecting courage, service, leadership, transformation, or change. Avoid explicit, political, provocative or hateful content. All content must be original. No copyrighted footage, audio, or images.

Submit ANY ONE format: 🎥 Video • 🖼️ Poster • 🎧 Audio, through the link CLICK HERE

Participation can be individual or in a team of 2. Multiple submissions are allowed.

• Video of 3–5 mins in MP4 (HD) format with voiceover, text overlays, and student-shot footage. Max size: 300 MB.
• Poster in A1 size, High-res PDF/JPEG, with title of the story, key message or theme and clear visuals or illustrations. Max size: 10 MB.
• Narrative Audio of duration up to 5 minutes, MP3 or WAV format, with clear narration, tone that matches the theme, and crisp, noise-free recording. Max size: 300 MB.

Competition 2: Creative Expressions

Theme: "Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached"

Submission Deadline: 3rd January 2026

Submission Guidelines

Participants can creatively compose doodles, poetry, slogans that express the philosophy and teachings of Swami Vivekananda. Submissions should be original and must creatively reflect Swami Vivekananda’s messages for awakening the self and contributing to nation-building. Submissions are accepted in Hindi or English. Maximum word limit - 100.

All entries can be submitted through the link CLICK HERE

Additional Information

• Evaluation focuses on originality, creative expression, clarity, and alignment with the theme. The decision of the evaluation committee would be final.
• Shortlisted students will be invited to present their entries.
• Permissible use of AI tools: up to 15% of the submission.
• All participants will receive an official certificate of participation (only upon submission of a valid entry). Top entries will be awarded certificates of merit.

Need Help?

Reach out to us at shivratna.ranawat@nift.ac.in / vasudha.vasudha2@nift.ac.in