For the youth, there is the Youth Yoga Fellowship, or Yuva Yoga Mitra Mandal. The youth has been given three mandates: learning yoga and living yoga; dedicating themselves and their energy to a specific, positive cause; and cultivating the ability to serve. The number of youth associated with yoga in 2013 for the convention purpose is over 1,000. The foundation day of the movement was 2nd October 2000, which is Gandhi Jayanti, the day when Gandhi was born. This date was chosen to kick start the Yuva Yoga Mitra Mandal because the life of Gandhi represents a life of sacrifice, a life of conviction and a life of service.
Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati
From April to June, members of the YUVA were part of the All-India Yogayatra. They accompanied resident swamis and sannyasa trainees to Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. They fully participated in the shivirs, assisting as demonstrators and in every possible way to make the programs a success.
From 29th to 31st May, the Yuva Yoga Mitra Mandal conducted an introductory Yoga Foundation course for more than six hundred high school and college students from Munger district. The course included asana, pranayama, kirtan and bhajan and was conducted by Swami Gorakhnath. Swami Niranjanananda gave satsang to the participants at the end of the course. He said that if one learns and teaches yoga one will be respected everywhere.
On 2nd October 2000, Swami Niranjan founded the Yuva Yoga Mitra Mandal. The 13th foundation day of the fellowship was celebrated at Paduka Darshan from 8 to 10 a.m. with great joy and enthusiasm. The entire event was managed by the youths of YYMM who set up the venue, seated the guests and conducted bhajan, kirtan and havan. Swami Suryaprakash spoke on the three cardinal goals given to YYMM by Swamiji: yoga, seva and samarpan. In his address, Swami Shankarananda reminded the youths and their guardians about the true purpose of human life.
In his satsang, Swamiji highlighted the two flourishing yoga movements that have originated in Munger, the children's and the youth's, and informed everyone about the yeoman service that the youths have rendered in different parts of the country including the earthquake-ravaged area of Bhuj. He expressed full confidence in the ability of the youth to contribute to the successful conduct of the upcoming World Yoga Convention, and ended his address by assuring the assembled parents and guardians that their wards would definitely shine in life and be the torchbearers and ambassadors of the yogic culture.
The program was attended by over 750 members of YYMM and over 800 family members who received special prasad on the occasion.
Over 800 members of the YYMM arrived at Ganga Darshan on 20th October and served with complete dedication and incomparable zeal to contribute to the success of the World Yoga Convention. No area was left untouched by their support, whether at Ganga Darshan, the Polo Ground, Paduka Darshan, the outside accommodation locations, the national delegates Reception Centre or the railway stations at Jamalpur, Kiul or Lakhisarai.
Their main tasks included receiving national and overseas delegates; maintenance and cleanliness of the properties and venues; maintaining discipline and order; traffic control; managing the 'May I Help You' desks; organizing transportation for delegates to and from the accommodation and venue. Yet another area of their involvement was welcoming, organizing and seating the delegates at the different venues at Ganga Darshan, during meal times at Paduka Darshan, and in the pandal at the Polo Ground where they also ensured a constant supply of drinking water for all visitors. Many served in the bhet and diksha departments, while others spent their days at the outside accommodation locations to ensure every comfort was made available to the guests.
The Yuvas worked with iron determination, friendliness and an open heart so that no guest should be inconvenienced in any way.