Gauhati University Youth Festival 2025 kicks off with cultural extravaganza
Guwahati: The campus of Gauhati University (GU) has transformed into a vibrant cultural hub as the Gauhati University Youth Festival 2025 officially commenced on Saturday.
The four-day event, one of the most anticipated in the university calendar, began with a spirited celebration featuring a colourful Cultural Rally and deep musical tributes.
Bringing together over 700 participants from 60 colleges across 18 districts of Assam, the festival showcases the vast cultural diversity and youthful dynamism of the state.
A Celebration of Unity and Creativity
In his inaugural address, Prof. Nani Gopal Mahanta, Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University, highlighted the festival's significance beyond just cultural display.
“The Youth Festival is more than a cultural event — it is an extravaganza that celebrates creativity, camaraderie, and the vibrant diversity of our university community,” he stated.
“It provides an extraordinary platform for students to learn from each other... and strengthen the spirit of unity that defines Gauhati University,” Mahanta said.
The opening ceremony began with the hoisting of the University flag by Utpal Sarma, Registrar, followed by the GU Sports Board and PGSU flags being raised by Ranjan Kumar Kakati, Director, Students’ Welfare, and Manash Pratim Kalita, president, PGSU 2024–25, respectively.
A solemn Swahid Tarpan was also observed in memory of the martyrs.
Kakati echoed the sentiment of diversity, noting that with students from numerous districts participating, the GU campus truly resembles a “mini Assam.”
Rally Themes and Musical Tributes
The Cultural Rally proved to be the day's main highlight. Student contingents paraded through the campus, presenting creative and thematic displays.
Themes included tributes to Assamese music icon Zubeen Garg, scenes from the Ramayana, the essence of Unity in Diversity, the charm of Rural Assam and Assamese Marriage, and the importance of Agriculture & Harvesting, Fishery, and Puppetry.
A special and moving tribute was paid to two of Assam's greatest artists: Zubeen Garg and Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, acknowledging their monumental contributions to Assamese music and culture.
The day also saw the commencement of competitions, with morning events featuring Borgeet, Classical Vocal, Light Classical Vocal, Rabindra Sangeet, and various classical instrumental categories.
The afternoon slate included intense contests in Solo Classical Dance, Folk Dance, Poem Recitation (self-composed), and Magazine Dugout.
The festival will continue over the next few days with a wide array of performances and contests across music, dance, theatre, fine arts, and literature, all celebrating Assam’s rich artistic heritage and the power of its youth.