**Executive Summary**
The Vice President of India, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, interacted with a Youth Delegation from Darjeeling at Uprashtrapati Bhavan on February 24, 2026. The interaction involved discussions on cultural heritage preservation, development, and addressing regional challenges. The Vice President emphasized the importance of youth contribution to nation-building.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Interaction with Youth Delegation:**
* Vice President Radhakrishnan met with the Darjeeling Youth Delegation at Uprashtrapati Bhavan.
* He acknowledged Darjeeling's rich cultural heritage.
* **Emphasis on Youth Contribution:**
* He urged young citizens to contribute to "Viksit Bharat" and "AatmaNirbhar Bharat" with innovation, integrity, and enterprise.
* He emphasized the importance of self-reliance and pride in heritage.
* **Discussion Topics:**
* The youth raised questions on outmigration, sustainable tourism, disaster resilience, Darjeeling tea, and sports infrastructure.
* **Addressing Regional Challenges:**
* Migration: The Vice President recognized migration as a global phenomenon but stressed preserving identity, culture, and traditions.
* Sustainable Tourism: He highlighted the need for environmentally responsible development.
* Disaster Resilience: He emphasized enhanced disaster preparedness, improved infrastructure, and coordinated efforts, including the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
* Darjeeling Tea: The Vice President acknowledged its global reputation and encouraged value addition and entrepreneurship.
* Sports: He stressed the need for integrated infrastructure and institutional support for grassroots talent.
* **Cultural Preservation:**
* The Vice President expressed happiness in seeing the youth in their traditional attire and urged them to remain rooted in their heritage while embracing change.
**Impact Analysis**
**Darjeeling Youth Delegation**
* **Impact:** Encouraged to contribute to nation-building, preserve cultural heritage, and address regional challenges.
* **Action Required:** Remain rooted in their heritage while embracing the opportunities of a changing world, and contribute meaningfully to nation-building.
**Residents of Darjeeling Region**
* **Impact:** The VP addressed issues important to the region.
* **Action Required:** None mentioned in the document.
Key Entities Referenced
C. P. Radhakrishnan: The Vice President of India who interacted with a Youth Delegation from Darjeeling.
Darjeeling: Location from which a Youth Delegation visited the Vice President.
AatmaNirbhar Bharat: A vision calling upon young citizens to contribute with innovation, integrity and enterprise.
Viksit Bharat: A vision calling upon young citizens to contribute with innovation, integrity and enterprise.
Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI): An initiative mentioned by the Vice-President while referring to the vulnerability of hilly regions.
Vice President's Secretariat
Vice President Interacts with Youth Delegation
from Darjeeling at Uprashtrapati Bhavan
Vice President Calls Upon Youth to Preserve Cultural Heritage
While Embracing Development
Posted On: 24 FEB 2026 4:35PM by PIB Delhi
The Vice President of India, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, today interacted with a Youth Delegation from
Darjeeling at Uprashtrapati Bhavan.
Vice President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan interacted with the members of
Darjeeling Youth Delegation at Uprashtrapati Bhavan today.
Highlighting the rich cultural heritage of Darjeeling, the Vice President observed
that the region stands out for upholding exceptionally high… pic.twitter.com/g8n9
XjJ9zq
— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) February 24, 2026
Welcoming the delegation, the Vice President said it was a matter of great pleasure to receive vibrant
young minds from a region known for its natural beauty, rich culture and significant contribution to the
nation. He noted that the youth embody the aspirations of a confident and forward-looking India. Member
of Rajya Sabha, Shri Harsh Vardhan Shringla, was present on the occasion.
Describing India’s demographic strength as one of its greatest assets, Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan stated that
the vision of Viksit Bharat and AatmaNirbhar Bharat calls upon young citizens to contribute with
innovation, integrity and enterprise. Self-reliance, he emphasized, reflects confidence in our abilities and
pride in our heritage.
During the interaction, students raised questions on outmigration, sustainable tourism, disaster resilience,
Darjeeling tea and sports infrastructure. On migration, the Vice President observed that it is a global
phenomenon driven by economic aspirations, but stressed the importance of preserving identity, culture
and traditions. Highlighting the need for sustainable tourism, he emphasized environmentally responsible
development to strengthen the regional economy.
Referring to the vulnerability of hilly regions, the Vice-President underlined the importance of enhanced
disaster preparedness, improved infrastructure and coordinated efforts, including initiatives such as the
Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). He also acknowledged the global reputation of
Darjeeling tea and encouraged value addition and entrepreneurship. On sports, he emphasized the need for
integrated infrastructure and institutional support to nurture grassroots talent.The Vice President expressed happiness at seeing the youth in their traditional attire and said that he has
immense respect for those who make conscious efforts to preserve their culture and traditions. He urged
the youth to remain rooted in their heritage while embracing the opportunities of a changing world, and
expressed confidence that they would contribute meaningfully to nation-building and to the vision of a
developed and self-reliant India.
***
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