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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India's Gen Z is full of creativity and with innovative ideas, energy and purpose, the country's youth is at the forefront of nation-building. Addressing the concluding session of Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) here in which he interacted with youngsters from across India and abroad, Modi said this initiative, in a short span of time, has grown into a significant platform where young people actively engage in shaping the nation's direction. "Every year on January 12, we celebrate the National Youth Day in honour of Swami Vivekananda, whose life and teachings continue to inspire us. Drawing inspiration from him, the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue was established," he said. Modi said the central government rolled out successive schemes with a clear focus on the youth and the startup revolution truly gathered momentum in India subsequently. "With innovative ideas, energy and purpose, Yuva Shakti is at the forefront of ...
Mukesh Awasti was all set leave for Australia to pursue a degree in civil engineering on a sunny day in September, but instead he joined a youth revolt against corruption in Nepal and lost his leg after being shot by security forces. Lying on a hospital bed at the National Trauma Center in the capital Kathmandu where his leg was amputated, 22-year-old Awasti said he regrets giving up so much for the little that has been achieved after the sacrifices of so many people. Violent protests in Kathmandu that began Sept. 8 left 76 people dead and more than 2,300 injured before the demonstrations fueled by Gen Z activists forced the appointment on Sept. 12 of Nepal's first female prime minister, Sushila Karki, a retired Supreme Court judge who has promised fresh elections in March. Since then, the interim government and its leader have come under criticism from many of the people who took part in the protests and expected major changes in the Himalayan nation. I am regretting my decision t
A commission appointed by Nepal's interim government to probe alleged excessive use of force during the September 89 Gen Z movement will summon ousted prime minister K P Sharma Oli for clarification, officials said on Thursday. At least 19 youths, who were demonstrating against the Oli government in Kathmandu, were killed in police firing on Sep 8, with the total death toll from the two days of unrest reaching 77 people nationwide. Human Rights Watch (HRW) and other bodies have alleged that security forces used disproportionate and unlawful force, including firing live ammunition indiscriminately at protesters. The agitation had led to the ouster of Oli's coalition government. The commission chief, Gauri Bahadur Karki, on Thursday told reporters that preparations were underway to seek clarification from CPN-UML chairperson and former prime minister Oli after the process of recording the statement of then home minister Ramesh Lekhak is completed. Karki said the commission is working
The year 2025 marked a defining shift in India's outbound travel landscape, with millennials and Gen Z leading nine out of 10 international trips, a new report has revealed. The annual travel report, released by travel-banking fintech platform Niyo, highlights how young, digital-first and experience-driven Indians are reshaping global travel trends through smarter planning, solo exploration and cost-conscious decision-making. Gen Z and Millennials accounted for 9 in 10 international trips. Two-thirds of these journeys originated from Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai, reflecting the strong influence of India's leading metros in outbound travel, the report findings said. Solo travel emerged as the dominant preference among Indian travellers, with 63.8 per cent of trips undertaken by individuals. Couples accounted for 19.93 per cent of trips, followed by families at 12.26 per cent and groups at 4.01 per cent, indicating a growing inclination towards independent travel. Short-haul Asian ...
A curfew was imposed in parts of Nepal's Bara district bordering India on Wednesday after Gen Z youths clashed with cadres of CPN-UML, the party of ousted prime minister K P Sharma Oli, officials said. The Bara district administration office said the curfew would remain in force from 12:30 pm to 8:00 pm within a 500-metre radius of Simara Airport after hundreds of Gen Z youths gathered there shouting slogans against the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified MarxistLeninist). The clash erupted when a Buddha Air flight carrying CPN-UML general secretary Shankar Pokharel and party youth leader Mahesh Basnet was to take off from Kathmandu for Simara, where they were scheduled to address an anti-government rally, police said. As news of the CPN-UML leaders flying to Simara spread, Gen Z protesters gathered at the airport to oppose their arrival, triggering a clash with local CPN-UML cadres. Authorities subsequently imposed the curfew around the airport area to bring the situation under ...