PM Modi to interact with 3K youths at Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue on Monday
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with more than 3,000 youngsters from across India and abroad at the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue here on January 12, the PMO said in a statement on Saturday.
Selected participants of the 2026 edition of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue will make their final presentations to the PM across 10 thematic tracks, sharing youth-led perspectives and actionable ideas on key areas of national importance.
On the occasion of National Youth Day, commemorating the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, the prime minister will participate in the concluding session of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026 at the Bharat Mandapam, the statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.
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During the programme, the prime minister will release the Essay Compilation for Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026, comprising selected essays authored by young participants on India's developmental priorities and long-term nation-building goals.
The Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue is a national platform designed to facilitate structured engagement between India's youth and national leadership.
"Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue aligns with the prime minister's Independence Day call to engage 1 lakh youth in politics without political affiliations and provide them a national platform to make their ideas for Viksit Bharat, a reality," the PMO said.
The dialogue, being held from January 9 to 12, has witnessed participation from over 50 lakh youth across the country at various levels.
The young leaders converging at the national-level championship have been selected through a rigorous, merit-based three-stage selection process, comprising a nationwide digital quiz, an essay challenge and state-level vision presentations.
The second edition of the dialogue builds upon the success of its inaugural edition with key new additions, including the introduction of Design for Bharat, Tech for Viksit Bharat - Hack for a Social Cause, expanded thematic engagements, and international participation for the first time, further strengthening the dialogue's scope and impact, the statement said.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
