Srinagar Jan 13: 80 Member contingent drawn from various parts of the UT of J&K being escorted by Joint Director YSS (Kashmir) Bashir Ahmed and other senior officers and officials of the Department are representing the UT in the 26th National Youth Festival (NYF) which was inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India at Hubblli- Dharward Karnataka on Thursday. The contingent of different genre of activities, dressed in the traditional costumes of the UT, studded the crown of India with colorful bezels. The Department is sanguine enough that the young Artists from the UT will come with flying colors. Hon’ble Prime Minister of India gave a go to the prestigious festival at 4 o’clock by making a vibrant and didactic speech to the participants of different States / UTs of the country and to the nation as well. Meanwhile on the Directions of Director YSS, National Youth Day was celebrated across the UT by the Department. Numerous colourful functions were organised at District Headquarters by the District Youth Services and Sports Officers across Jammu and Kashmir. Suitable arrangements of telecasting proceedings of the impressive and glittering inaugural function of the Festival were made at various venues. Youth in large numbers witnessed the program with interest and enthusiasm. Different Youth oriented programmes on social and developmental issues of the communities and the nation as a whole were also organised in some districts of the UT. At the summer capital of the UT, suitable arrangements were made by the District Youth Services and Sports Office Srinagar for the live telecast of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India’s Speech. Youth in large numbers watched proceedings of the function live in the Auditorium of Government Polytechnic College Srinagar. In Jammu division the main event in this connection was held at Government College for Women Gandinagar. Director Youth Services and Sports J&K Subhash C Chhibber, Joint Director Youth Services and Sports Jammu Suram Chand Sharma, Chief Accounts Officer Sunil Sharma, District Youth Services and Sports Officer Jammu, Principals of various colleges, staff of Sports Department besides hundreds of young boys and girls watched the live Telecast at Jammu jointly. Pertinently the UT based contingent was flagged off by Secretary Youth Services and Sports J&K Sarmad Hafeez last week to participate in the 26th NYF being held at Hubly Karnataka to mark the Birth Aniversary of Swami Vivekanada. Issued by I/C Media and Publicity Wing Directorate Of YSS J&K