The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has launched the Yuva Spiritual Summit at the Rudraksh Convention Centre in Varanasi, bringing together over 600 youth from 122 spiritual and socio-cultural organizations across India to address the urgent national challenge of drug addiction. Centered on the theme “Drug-Free Youth for a Developed India,” the event marks a strategic intervention aimed at building a values-based framework for youth empowerment and long-term nation-building.
Speaking at the summit, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports and Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya emphasized that India’s ambition to become a developed nation by 2047 hinges on the integrity and discipline of its youth. He noted that 65 percent of the population is under the age of 35 and that their contribution must be safeguarded from the triple threat of drugs, mobile addiction and reels-related distractions.
Mandaviya referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Panch Pran vision announced during India’s 76th Independence Day address, underlining the importance of spiritual discipline in shaping future citizens. He cautioned that addiction is entrapping youth at the most critical juncture of their lives, undermining their ability to act as change agents and posing a serious risk to the social, economic and cultural advancement of the country.
The Minister appealed directly to religious and social leaders, urging them to leverage their platforms to initiate sustained anti-addiction movements. He stated that one-time camps are insufficient and called for a mass mobilization effort in which every citizen pledges to convince at least five others to reject substance abuse. Such actions, he argued, are vital not only for individual well-being but also for achieving collective national goals.
The two-day summit includes four thematic sessions designed to unpack the roots of addiction, dismantle drug trafficking ecosystems, create effective outreach programs, and build institutional frameworks for a drug-free India. These sessions employ interactive tools, whiteboard platforms, expert lectures and moderated panels to promote participatory policy dialogue.
The summit will culminate in the release of the ‘Kashi Declaration’ on 20 July 2025—a strategic charter articulating the commitments, aspirations and collaborative action plans of India’s youth and spiritual communities. The declaration is expected to serve as a guiding document for policy makers, civil society networks, rehabilitation organizations and youth platforms working to combat substance abuse nationwide.
The Ministry affirmed that the summit reflects its larger commitment to fusing cultural wisdom with youth leadership and aims to position spiritual engagement as a cornerstone of behavioral transformation and civic renewal. With Varanasi—one of India’s most sacred and historically resonant cities—as its venue, the summit blends modern public health strategy with traditional moral ecosystems.
The Yuva Spiritual Summit is expected to initiate long-term youth-led movements toward building a resilient, drug-free and spiritually grounded India by 2047.
