New Delhi [India], January 9: In a major step toward institutionalizing youth participation in national governance, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is hosting the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) 2026 at the iconic Bharat Mandapam from January 9 to 12. The summit serves as a high-level platform where India’s “Amrit Generation” will directly present actionable policy recommendations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 12, marking National Youth Day.
The four-day dialogue is the culmination of a rigorous multi-stage national selection process, which saw participants engaged through nationwide essay rounds and leadership assessments. Around 2,000 selected youth leaders from across the country have advanced to the national level to participate in 10 thematic tracks, ranging from governance and sustainability to agriculture and digital inclusion.
A key feature of the VBYLD framework is the integration of Domain Area Experts who serve as moderators and mentors to ensure the feasibility and national relevance of youth-led ideas. Among the experts invited is Atul Patidar, the CEO of farmkart and R-Solar. In a lineup dominated by household names like cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur, tennis legend Leander Paes, and tech billionaire Sridhar Vembu, Patidar represents a quieter but critical “ground-level” authority. While he may lack the celebrity of fellow mentors like Palki Sharma Upadhyay or the Gaganyaan Astronauts, his selection is a nod to his practical expertise in transforming rural economies.
Patidar’s journey is notably rooted in his hometown of Barwani, Madhya Pradesh, where he returned after earning four post-graduate degrees from universities like Cornell and the University of Toronto. Before launching farmkart, his team reportedly lived with 6,000 rural farmers to understand the friction points of traditional agriculture. This deep connection to the soil previously earned him a personal commendation from the Prime Minister in the 70th edition of Mann Ki Baat. At Bharat Mandapam, Patidar will mentor the track focused on Enhancing Productivity through Smart and Sustainable Agriculture, bridging the gap between high-level policy and the non-tech-savvy farmer.
Unlike conventional conferences, VBYLD 2026 is designed as an output-driven exercise. On January 10, experts and mentors will “stress-test” the finalists’ presentations during structured interactions to ensure the proposals are robust and scalable. These refined pitches will then be showcased before the Prime Minister, providing a direct link between youthful innovation and the highest level of national decision-making.
As the summit concludes, the policy suggestions emerging from Bharat Mandapam are expected to provide the government with a roadmap for a developed India by 2047. By involving figures like Atul Patidar–who brings a gritty, grassroots perspective to a stage filled with icons–the Ministry aims to foster a dialogue that is both visionary and grounded in the socio-economic realities of modern India.