Hubballi: The twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad in North Karnataka is geared up for the five-day 26th National Youth Festival, which commences today, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to inaugurate the mega event this afternoon at the sprawling Hubballi Railway Sports Grounds.

Modi is scheduled to arrive at Hubballi Airport at 3.40 pm, following which he will travel to the Railway Grounds for the inauguration of the Youth Festival, which is organised as part of 160th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.

This will be Modi’s first visit to Karnataka in the new year and his visit is all the more significant in the backdrop of the State going to the polls in a couple of months. Karnataka is hosting the Youth Festival for the second time after the first one at Mangaluru in 2012. This is also the first time that a Prime Minister is inaugurating the festival.

The event will take place at 5 auditoriums and 7 stadiums in Hubballi-Dharwad and will conclude on Jan.16. Thousands of youth representatives  from all States are taking part in this mega National Youth event.

At Mysuru: Sri Ramakrishna Ashram will be celebrating National Youth Day by garlanding Swami Vivekananda’s statue at Cheluvamba Park in Yadavagiri at 3 pm today. This will be followed by a procession from the park to Sri Ramakrishna Vidyashala where a stage programme will be held.

Declamation Contest tomorrow

As part of National Youth Day, Hindustan College, Mysuru, has organised a District-level Declamation Contest for PU and Degree College students tomorrow at 10 am. The topic is: “Channelising Youth Power for Nation Building.” For details contact  Sukshma on Mob: 80950-78302 [Registration Link – https://forms.gle/bLaE6EweMpcThHyYA]