Kozhikode/Palakkad: 39 students from Kerala and Lakshadweepembarked on a cultural and educational extravaganza beginning with an excitingtrain trip to Jammu as part of the ‘Yuva Sangam’ initiative by the Government of India. The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode has teamed up with theIndian Institute of Management Jammu for a student exchange programme as part of Phase VI of Yuva Sangam, under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) Campaign of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education. Director IIM Kozhikode Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, flagged off the delegation here from Kozhikode on Friday. Under this programme these selected students from Kerala and Lakshadweep, accompanied by faculty and staff members of IIM Kozhikode, will visit Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and explore the cultural and social richness of the Indian state, across the next 11 days (including travel days). The high-spirted delegates, boarded train to the Jammu Tawi railway Station from Palakkad Railway station around intervening midnight (8/9 May) for a nearly 60-hour journey covering more than 3000 km, to cover one of the longest distance by train in the history of Yuva Sangam Programme.
Prof. Debashis Chatterjee, shared his best wishes with the Kerala & Lakshadweep delegation and added “IIM Kozhikode is thrilled to play a proactive part in this nation-wide programme from Ministry of Education focussed on nurturing the values of the future generation. Yuva Sangam has come as a golden cultural exchange opportunity for students from Kerala to join this celebration of diversity and explore and appreciate the cultural richness of India, exemplified by the 5Ps of Yuva Sangam. I am hopeful these youth ambassadors from Kerala and Lakshadweep will also diligently share enlightening aspects of their home state with their counterparts and strengthen the bond between the two states which have their own unique attributes.”
The delegation consists of 38 students from Kerala, with representations from each of the 14 districts of the state, and one delegates from the island UT of Lakshadweep. The diverse group consists of a total of 21 males and 18 male youngsters made up of undergraduate, post graduate and off campus youth students. The delegates are accompanied by a five-member team of faculty and staff from IIM Kozhikode. The delegation will reach Jammu Tawi railway station on May 11 and thereon head to the host institute – IIM Jammu. Over the next week this delegation from Kerala and Lakshadweep will meet and interact with IIM Jammu faculty, students, prominent dignitaries like the Governor and Chief Minister and other senior govt officials. The delegation will also visit many places of interest in and around J&K like – Salal Hydro Project, Mubarak Mandi Palace, Bahut Fort & Bagh-e-bahu Garden, Chenab Rail bridge (World’s highest bridge), Amar Mahal palace Museum, Mansar lake, Sanasar Lake, Dogra Art Museum and many other placed exemplifying the 5 Ps of Yuva Sangam.
Yuva Sangam is a Government of India initiative that focuses on organizing educational-cum-cultural tours for the youth, including on-campus and off-campus students, from one state/UT to another. During the tours, multi-dimensional exposure under five broad areas which are Paryatan (Tourism), Parampara (Traditions), Pragati (Development), Paraspar Sampark (People-to-people connect), and Prodyogiki (Technology) is provided to visiting delegation. Youth across various states/UTs will visit their paired counterpart for 5-7 days (excluding travel days) during which they will get an immersive experience of various facets of the state and the opportunity to interact and deeply engage with the local youth.
Likewise, this exchange will also witness a 50-member delegation from J&K, Ladakh coordinated by IIM Jammuvisiting IIM Kozhikode for a 7-day stay in Kerala with exposure trips planned to give the visiting students a glimpse of the culturally rich and naturally mesmerising state of Kerala from 28th May to 05th June, 2026.
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