More than 25,000 youngsters gathered at Reshimbagh Ground on Sunday as the month-long Manthan4Yuva-2026 initiative concluded with a vibrant celebration of youth, culture and achievement, marked by a record-setting dhol-tasha performance, namely ‘Mahavadan-2026’, inspiring interactions with achievers and a pledge to build a drug-free generation. 55 dhol-tasha pathaks, comprising about 3,500 players from Nagpur and across Vidarbha then came together for a spectacular performance celebrating Maharashtra’s traditional percussion heritage. The event registered a record in the India Book of World Records and Asia Book of World Records, with 585 Aadhaar-registered flag-bearers participating in the cultural programme, surpassing the earlier record of 260 participants. The programme began on an energetic note with a bhajan jamming session by singers Sneha and Puneet, setting the tone for the grand conclusion. Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister, attended the concluding ceremony as Chief Guest, along with Tilak Varma, cricketer; Divya Deshmukh, Chess Grandmaster; Arjun Deshpande, entrepreneur, Dilip Gavit, Commonwealth Games 2026 gold medallist and Kiran Shahaji.

 

 

 

Boxer Alfiya Khan Pathan, MLA Pranay Fuke, YouTuber Ashish Bharatwanshi and other personalities were also present. The event offered youngsters an opportunity to hear directly from achievers across different fields. Sports Analyst Ridhima Pathak carried out an interactive session with the guests present on dais. Speaking about the strength of Indian democracy, Fadnavis said it had created opportunities for people from ordinary backgrounds to rise to the highest positions. Referring to his own journey, he said democracy had enabled him to become Chief Minister, while also making it possible for a chaiwala to become the Prime Minister of India. Fadnavis also recalled being part of the group that hoisted the Indian Tri-colour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar in year 1992 for the first time. Tilak Varma on asked by Pathak about how to deal with pressure, said that, “Pressure is part of everyone’s life, but converting opportunities into success is in an individual’s own hands.”

 

Handling people’s expectations and maintaining consistency in fitness, he said, were among the toughest challenges in professional sport. Arjun Deshpande, founder of Generic Aadhaar, urged youngsters not to waste excessive time on reels and instead focus on meaningful and impactful work. India’s youth, he said, was capable of achieving anything. Assuring aspiring entrepreneurs of Government support, Fadnavis said efforts are being made to create a more seamless start-up ecosystem, with policies further strengthened through engagement with young people. He also stressed the need to balance screen time, entrepreneurship and physical fitness, saying children should spend more time on playgrounds than in front of screens. The Chief Minister felicitated winners of the various competitions organised during Manthan4Yuva. City Police Commissioner Vishwas Nangre Patil also administered a pledge urging youngsters to stay away from drugs and actively contribute towards building a drug-free generation. Organisers Ritesh Gawande and Vishnu Changdev gave introductory speech and proposed vote of thanks respectively. With the thunder of dhol-tasha performances and the energy of thousands of young participants, Manthan4Yuva concluded as a celebration of youthful ambition, talent and Maharashtra’s cultural spirit. 

 

 

Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis remarked that the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition should first answer why he refuses to support the Women’s Reservation Bill before lecturing others on empowerment. In the country's constitutional process, the highest institution is the Parliament, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working to ensure that 33 per cent of MPs are women, he said. “Coming to Pune to talk about women and then opposing the very bill that would give them real power, that’s Rahul Gandhi's hypocritical stand,’ Fadnavis said. He said that while on stage Gandhi did speak about women’s empowerment, but he has opposed and voted against the most revolutionary step to give women rights - the Women’s Reservation Bill.

 

“He does not want to give rights to women. I believe his words don't match his actions,” the Chief Minister said. CM’s response followed Gandhi’s recent event in Pune where he had lashed out at the “Manusmriti mindset”, urged women to “smash patriarchy”, and took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks concerning female protesters at Jantar Mantar. Fadnavis further slammed the Congress, dubbing it as a “directionless party of show-offs and loudmouths”. “Their job is just to make speeches every day and stay relevant through television; that's all they do. They have lost touch with the ground. This party is limited to merely issuing statements,” he claimed.