Yuva Sangam Phase VII ends at NIT Srinagar after 7 days with IIT Bombay delegation
By TUF News Desk · Published 28 October 2026 · 4 min read
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The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay delegation has left Srinagar, closing a seven-day exchange that put students from Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir in the same rooms, on the same trips and on the same stage. The Yuva Sangam Phase VII programme at the National Institute of Technology Srinagar ended with a farewell at the institute, where Registrar Prof. Atikur Rehman, Yuva Sangam nodal officer Dr. Ashok Kumar, Dr. Pramod Kumar Yadav and Dr. Janani L saw the visitors off and wished them a safe journey.
Yuva Sangam runs under the Government of India’s Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme, which pairs institutions in different states so young people can spend time in each other’s home region. For Phase VII, the Ministry of Education identified 20 higher education institutions as nodal hosts. NIT Srinagar was the nodal institution for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, paired with IIT Bombay for Maharashtra. Participants in the phase undertook tours of five to seven days, excluding travel days, to their paired state or union territory.
The Srinagar week was built around firsthand exposure rather than lectures alone. The delegation explored the region’s cultural heritage, spiritual landmarks and natural landscapes, spent time with local communities and got a look at daily life in Jammu and Kashmir. A student can read about another state in a classroom, but travelling with hosts leaves a different impression, and it is that impression the programme is designed to create.
A temple visit, a garden and a shared stage
Day six took the delegation to two of Srinagar’s best known sites. The group visited the Shankaracharya Temple and Nishat Garden, and the visit gave the Maharashtra students a direct sense of Srinagar’s layered past. The same day brought the week’s cultural high point. A cultural evening at NIT Srinagar featured students from Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra performing dance, music and poetry from their own traditions, with the institute’s Sargam Club among the performers.
The programme had opened in a similar spirit. A traditional lighting ceremony marked the start, attended by Prof. Rehman, Dean of Student Welfare Prof. Mohammad Bazaz and Dr. Kumar as nodal officer. The week ended with tokens of appreciation for the participants, followed by a gala dinner attended by delegates, faculty members and organisers.
For students thinking about exchanges of this kind, the Srinagar week is a useful example of what to expect. Yuva Sangam tours are short, usually under a week, and they combine institutional visits, heritage sites, local industry and community life. The value lies in the conversations that happen when students from different states share a routine for a few days. Our guide to choosing a university in India makes a related point: what a college feels like day to day matters alongside its courses and fees.
Students interested in a future phase should check the official Yuva Sangam portal, which carried Phase VII registrations. For Phase VII, registration was open to youth aged 18 to 30, including students of higher education institutions, NSS and NYKS volunteers and young professionals, and the last date was August 18, 2026. The next phase will have its own dates and pairing list, so check the portal for the next announcement.
Frequently asked questions
What is Yuva Sangam?
Yuva Sangam is a youth exchange programme under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat initiative, in which students visit a paired state or union territory for a multi-day educational and cultural tour.
Which institutions were paired for this Yuva Sangam Phase VII exchange?
NIT Srinagar was the nodal institution for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, paired with IIT Bombay for Maharashtra.
What did the IIT Bombay delegation do during the week at NIT Srinagar?
The delegation explored cultural heritage, spiritual landmarks and natural landscapes, met local communities, visited the Shankaracharya Temple and Nishat Garden on day six, and took part in a joint cultural evening.
How do students take part in Yuva Sangam?
For Phase VII, registration opened through the official Yuva Sangam portal for youth aged 18 to 30, including higher education students, NSS and NYKS volunteers and young professionals. Students interested in a later phase should watch the official portal for the next announcement.
Frequently asked questions
What is Yuva Sangam?
Yuva Sangam is a youth exchange programme under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat initiative, in which students visit a paired state or union territory for a multi-day educational and cultural tour.
Which institutions were paired for this Yuva Sangam Phase VII exchange?
NIT Srinagar was the nodal institution for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, paired with IIT Bombay for Maharashtra.
What did the IIT Bombay delegation do during the week at NIT Srinagar?
The delegation explored cultural heritage, spiritual landmarks and natural landscapes, met local communities, visited the Shankaracharya Temple and Nishat Garden on day six, and took part in a joint cultural evening.
How do students take part in Yuva Sangam?
For Phase VII, registration opened through the official Yuva Sangam portal for youth aged 18 to 30, including higher education students, NSS and NYKS volunteers and young professionals. Students interested in a later phase should watch the official portal for the next announcement.
Sources: Kashmir Reader, The Kashmir Horizon, Press Information Bureau