NYF-2012: Delegates from SAARC, ASEAN countries

BANGALORE: Defence personnel from all the three wings of the Indian Defence Force - Army, Navy and Air Force - would take part in the five-day National Youth Festival-2012 in Mangalore.The seventeenth edition of the NYF would be flagged off on January 12, 2012  in which dignitaries from the state and the Centre would  take part. Speaking to Express, director of Department of Youth and Sports V Chandrashekhar informed that for the first time a National Youth Festival event would host foreign delegations from ASEAN and SAARC countries.The last edition of the NYF was held at the picturesque town of Udaipur in Rajasthan. Over 5,000 young men and women from over 35 states and union territories across the country will take part in the festival. The NYF is being organised to commemorate the birth day celebrations of Swami Vivekananda. He said that the NYF which would showcase the cultural diversity of the country will also see participation from the three defence wings.He said that the district administration of Dakshina-Kannada and the state government have also appealed to the Indian Navy to exhibit its Naval Flotilla at the Mangalore port.The event with the theme ‘Unity in Diversity’ comprises competitive cultural events including folk and classical dances, one act plays and other related performing arts. The event is being jointly organised and coordinated by the Government of India (GoI) and the state government along with Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangatan (NYKS) and National Service Scheme (NSS).He said that the city of Mangalore was being decked up to welcome the young delegates from across the country and added that the state government has released Rs 10 crore to organise the event successfully with active participation from the district administration.The 80-member state contingent of the cultural team has been selected to participate in the event, Chandrashekhar informed.The NYF-2012 organising committee is working round-the-clock to ensure the success of the event with the able guidance of chief secretary S V Ranganath, additional chief Secretary K Jairaj, D-K District In-charge Minister Krishna Palemar and others.