Former Union Minister and Hamirpur MP Anurag Singh Thakur on Thursday said the newly launched ‘Yuva ChangeMakers’ fellowship will prepare the next generation of leaders by equipping Himachali youth with skills in politics, policy, governance and social leadership.
Launching the programme in Dharamshala, Thakur said the initiative aims to channel the energy of young people into nation-building through structured training, real-world exposure and mentorship.
“India has the largest youth population in the world. If we want a strong and developed nation, we must prepare responsible, confident and capable youth leadership. ‘Yuva ChangeMakers’ is an effort in that direction,” Thakur said.
He said the fellowship is designed as a long-term leadership development platform to strengthen youth participation at the grassroots level. “Through this programme, we want to prepare politically skilled, governance-efficient and socially sensitive leaders who can understand problems on the ground and work towards solutions,” he added.
Thakur said registrations for the programme will begin on January 25, Himachal Foundation Day, with a target of 10,000 youth registrations through online and offline modes. The selection process will include screening, district-level interviews and bootcamps, followed by a state-level leadership camp.
“Youth will be given micro-projects in their own assembly areas so that they learn leadership not just through theory but by solving real issues in society,” he said.
According to Thakur, 17 to 21 youth will be finally selected as ChangeMakers for a one-year fellowship, during which they will work closely on constituency-related projects. “Just as public representatives take an oath to serve society, these ChangeMakers will also commit themselves to honest and dedicated leadership,” he said.
He also announced that the top 21 selected participants will receive an incentive of ₹1.21 lakh. “The dream of a developed India is incomplete without a developed Himachal Pradesh, and the youth will play a decisive role in achieving this goal,” Thakur said.
