Three Indian Sanchar Mitras Join ITU’s Global Youth Envoy Network

India's young digital leaders are gaining a stronger voice on the international stage, with three youth volunteers associated with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) selected as Generation Connect Youth Envoys (GCYE) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the 2026–2030 term.

Ankit Kumar Pal from Delhi, Manish Kumar Mandal from Bengaluru and Susmita Sain from Guwahati will join the third cohort of Generation Connect Youth Envoys, giving them an opportunity to bring their experiences, ideas and understanding of India's digital ecosystem into conversations involving young technology leaders from around the world. Their selection also puts the spotlight on the Sanchar Mitra scheme, through which DoT has been involving young people in telecom awareness, digital initiatives and community-focused activities.

The announcement comes as International Youth Day 2026 is being observed under the theme "Different Contexts, Common Aspirations." The Generation Connect community marked the occasion with the virtual event "Passing the Torch: Connecting Generations of Digital Leaders," where members of the outgoing and incoming Youth Envoy cohorts came together to exchange experiences and perspectives on youth participation in the digital world.

Indian Youth Get a Seat in Global Digital Conversations

The Generation Connect Youth Envoys programme is designed to ensure that young people are not simply users of rapidly changing digital technologies but also participants in discussions about how those technologies develop, whom they serve and how their benefits can reach communities that remain underserved.

Through the programme, young representatives contribute to discussions and initiatives concerning Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), digital transformation, connectivity and inclusive digital development at national, regional and international levels. For the three Indian representatives, the four-year term creates room to engage with peers from different countries while sharing insights drawn from their work and experiences in India.

Their participation can also bring Indian perspectives on digital inclusion, ICT skills, innovation and community-level connectivity into a wider international conversation where decisions about the future of technology increasingly require input from the generation that will live with their impact.

Sanchar Mitra Scheme Opens Doors Beyond Local Engagement

The selection has a direct connection with DoT's Sanchar Mitra initiative, which encourages young people to participate in telecom and digital activities while building their understanding of the sector beyond classrooms and conventional technical learning.

The scheme gives participants exposure to practical issues surrounding telecommunications, emerging technologies, digital awareness and public engagement, while creating pathways for deserving Sanchar Mitras to interact with national and international institutions. Participation in platforms connected with the ITU forms an important part of that wider exposure.

When the ITU invited nominations for its third cohort of Generation Connect Youth Envoys, DoT began identifying suitable candidates from among Sanchar Mitras, focusing on young people who had already demonstrated meaningful involvement rather than treating the selection as an academic exercise alone.

Experience in Digital Inclusion and Innovation Shapes Selection

Candidates were considered for their engagement across areas such as youth-led programmes, ICT education and skills, digital inclusion, technical and research activities, entrepreneurship, innovation and community-based ICT initiatives, allowing the selection process to recognise different ways in which young people can contribute to India's digital development.

Ankit Kumar Pal, Manish Kumar Mandal and Susmita Sain were eventually chosen in recognition of their contributions under the Sanchar Mitra scheme. Their selection reflects how youth participation in the telecom sector is expanding from awareness and learning into leadership, representation and international collaboration.

It also gives other young participants a visible example of how involvement in grassroots and national digital initiatives can create opportunities to contribute at platforms where global technology priorities are discussed.

Building a Generation That Can Shape the Digital Future

India's digital transformation is creating opportunities across connectivity, public services, education, entrepreneurship and emerging technologies, making youth participation increasingly important in deciding how that transformation develops and reaches different sections of society.

By connecting initiatives such as Sanchar Mitra with the ITU's Generation Connect network, DoT is creating a pathway through which young Indians can gain international exposure, exchange ideas with global peers and bring those experiences back into their communities and professional journeys.

The inclusion of three Sanchar Mitras in the 2026–2030 GCYE cohort represents more than individual recognition; it shows how structured youth engagement can help young people move from learning about the digital future to taking part in shaping it.