Dharmendra Pradhan Interacts with PM-YUVA 3.0 Young Authors at New Delhi World Book Fair

Union Minister for Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday interacted with 43 young authors selected under the PM-YUVA 3.0 (Prime Minister’s Young Authors Mentorship Scheme) at Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, on the sidelines of the New Delhi World Book Fair 2026.

During the interactive session, the selected authors shared brief insights into their forthcoming manuscripts, which they are developing as part of the six-month mentorship programme. Congratulating the young writers on their selection, Shri Pradhan urged them to utilise the mentorship period effectively to produce meaningful books that inspire India’s youth to read, write and engage deeply with knowledge.

Highlighting the importance of access to quality research material, the Minister directed that both physical and digital resources be made available to the authors through the National Book Trust (NBT). He also said that the authors should be provided access to academic resources under the ‘One Nation, One Subscription’ (ONOS) initiative. To further strengthen their research support, he suggested affiliating the selected authors with central universities in their respective regions during the manuscript development process.

Expressing happiness over the interaction, Shri Pradhan said the diversity among the young authors reflected the diversity of India. He noted that the authors are working on themes such as the contribution of the Indian diaspora in nation-building, the Indian Knowledge System, and the makers of modern India. He added that the free-wheeling discussions on culture, technology, knowledge and national vision, along with the energy and confidence of the young writers, reinforced his belief in the vision of a Viksit Bharat.

The 43 PM-YUVA 3.0 authors are participating in a national camp being organised during the New Delhi World Book Fair 2026, being held from January 10 to 18 at Bharat Mandapam. The Fair is organised by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the National Book Trust and was inaugurated on January 10 by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan.

The PM-YUVA 3.0 scheme aims to nurture young writers and promote a culture of reading, writing and knowledge creation while showcasing India’s intellectual and cultural diversity.

The event was attended by Secretary, Higher Education, Shri Vineet Joshi; Director, NBT-India, Shri Yuvraj Malik; CEO, Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, Dr Priyanka Mishra; Chief Editor and Joint Director, NBT-India, Shri Kumar Vikram; and Joint Director, Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, Shri Ravi K. Mishra.