Vijayawada: Youth Services Department Commissioner S Bharani said that the State Youth Festival YUVA–2025 would be held from December 18 to 20 with a core objective of identifying, nurturing, and showcasing the hidden talents of Andhra Pradesh’s youth.

She said that the prestigious three-day festival will be organised at KL University, Vaddeswaram, near Tadepalli in Guntur district, under the theme “Youth for Swarnandhra.”

Commissioner Bharani unveiled the curtain-raiser for YUVA–2025 at the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) office located on the IGMC Stadium premises in Vijayawada on Thursday. Speaking to the media, she highlighted that the festival aims to bring forward youth creativity, innovation, and intellectual abilities that play a key role in building a progressive Andhra Pradesh. Further, she said competitions would be held for youth aged 15 to 29 years. First-prize winners from all 26 districts would participate in the state-level events, and top performers would be selected to represent Andhra Pradesh at the National Youth Festival–2026 in New Delhi. Around 700 district-level winners are expected to compete at the state festival, she added. Later, she said as per the Government of India guidelines, the festival would include seven competitions: folk dance, folk songs, painting, poster-making, poetry writing, short story writing, and innovation (science expo).

"YUVA–2025 will also feature panel discussions, Youth Con, and Youth Impact Labs. A grand carnival parade with teams from all 26 districts will mark the festival’s opening, with more than 2,000 selected youth participating. Industrialists, policy experts, medical professionals, civil servants, and social entrepreneurs will also be involved," she said.

Meanwhile, Bharani said Global Telugu associations, NSS, NGOs, and industry bodies, including CII, I-WIN, and AP Chambers, are partnering to provide broader exposure. The finals and awards ceremony of the digital marathon #AndhraYuvaSankalp2k25 would also be held during the event, she explained.

Youth Services Assistant Director Lakshman, along with officials from NTR and Krishna districts, participated in the programme.