Hardik Kumar Dewan played a pivotal role in designing and executing a youth platform that directly speaks to the United Nations. The Youth Lead Dialogue of 2025 was held at Bharat Mandapam and set new benchmarks for youth engagement and leadership in India.Held under the United Nations Youth Office’s #YouthLead Festival, began with the Deep Prajwalan ceremony, symbolising Indian tradition, followed by the ceremonial hammer striking inspired by UN sessions — a deliberate fusion of heritage and international gravitas. Over 1,000 delegates from across India gathered, making YLD the country’s largest youth policy forum. Its Outcome Document will now be presented at the UN General Assembly High-Level Plenary Meeting on Youth in New York later in the month of September.Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar joined as the Chief Guest, signalling government recognition. Cabinet Minister Krishan Lal Panwar and Dr. Abhishek Verma, Chief National Coordinator NDA (Alliance & Elections) Shivsena, stressed the importance of sustained youth participation. Zomato co-founder Gaurav Gupta and financial educator Neha Nagar delivered keynotes that connected policy with real-world pathways. The mega panel, featuring entrepreneurs, activists, and legal experts like advocate Siddharth Yadav, brought intergenerational dialogue to the forefront.Through a nationwide youth survey, the event captured actionable priorities, with 20.8% of youth highlighting education and skills development and 12.3% citing climate action as their top concerns. These findings now inform both national policy discussions and inputs to the UN Youth Office’s #YouthLead Festival framework.The event’s 5+ million social media reach demonstrated its resonance beyond the venue, creating a national conversation about youth priorities. Recognition came from abroad too, with UN Assistant Secretary-General Dr. Felipe Paullier sending a special video message of support.The 19-year-old Hardik Kumar Dewan lies at the center of this initiative. A law student at Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies, Delhi, and the founder of Hardik Dewan Foundation. “Youth are not the leaders of tomorrow, but the leaders of today,” he said in his welcome address.As a youth leader in India, Hardik has already earned the title of “Teenpreneur,” while being recognized in the India Book of Records as the country’s youngest philanthropist. Hardik has represented India at the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum, the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings, and the Global Youth Climate Summit. His Foundation runs Greenify India, an afforestation campaign targeting 100,000 trees annually, and the Foodonation Campaign for underprivileged families.As India looks toward Viksit Bharat 2047, Hardik Dewan is clear about his mission: “If young people bring their values and energy into the system, we can transform it from within.”
