Sri Vijaya Puram, November 10: MY Bharat’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands unit brought together 70 youth volunteers for a Diwali programme in Sri Vijaya Puram, linking festive celebrations with efforts to promote a drug-free society under the Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat – 100 Weeks Campaign. The state-level event marked the campaign’s eighth week and focused on youth participation, community engagement and traditional festive practices.
Titled ‘Diwali Sneh Milan – MY Bharat Ki Yuva Umang, Diwali Ke Deepon Ke Sang’, the programme took place at Andaman Mahila Mandal, the former Nehru Yuva Kendra (NYK) office. It brought volunteers together through cultural activities and group engagements while highlighting the campaign’s focus on a drug-free India.
Swami Suddhanand Saraswati, Secretary of Chinmaya Mission, attended as the guest of honour and inaugurated the programme. He urged participants to observe festivals responsibly and contribute to building a peaceful society free from drugs.
The event formed part of the 100-week campaign, which seeks to connect youth participation with the broader objective of a drug-free India. Joint Director of MY Bharat, Sukhranjan Biswas, said the programme recognised the contributions of youth volunteers while encouraging greater community participation.
He said the initiative also sought to reinforce traditional festive values alongside a collective commitment to preventing drug use. The programme brought these themes into a community celebration rather than limiting the campaign’s engagement to formal awareness activities.
Participants took part in traditional diya lighting and rangoli-making, followed by the distribution of sweets. Organisers also arranged recreational activities and games to encourage interaction, teamwork and camaraderie among the volunteers.
The programme included recognition for participants who won the various activities. Organisers presented utility prizes to the winners in acknowledgement of their enthusiasm and involvement.
The event highlighted the role assigned to youth volunteers in the ongoing campaign, which uses community participation and collective activities to promote its drug-free India objective. The eighth-week programme combined festive traditions with group participation, bringing volunteers together around the campaign’s stated social message.
