Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat is set to interact with more than 2,000 students from over 100 cities at the International Movement to Unite Nations (IIMUN) annual championship conference in Mumbai on 6 August, where he will share his perspectives on leadership, nation-building, and India's global role with members of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. The event, being held at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC), is marking IIMUN's 15th anniversary and is described as one of the world's largest youth-led conferences.

What the Conference Is About

The inaugural session of the conference will centre on the theme 'The Role of Youth in Uniting the World, the Indian Way'. The annual gathering brings together students aged 15 to 19 years, with participants drawn from schools and colleges across the country. This will be the third occasion on which Bhagwat has attended an IIMUN event to engage with younger audiences.

The conference comes at a moment when young Indians are increasingly vocal on issues of democracy, governance, and national identity. IIMUN founder Rishabh Shah announced the participation on Tuesday, 4 August, describing Bhagwat's presence as part of a deliberate effort to expose students to influential institutions and diverse ideological traditions.

What IIMUN's Founder Said

'Our main endeavour is to help youth aged 11 to 19 understand what ‘Bharat’ is and what ‘uniting the world the Bharatiya way’ means. We try to mould the next generation into good leaders. We have been doing this for the past 15 years through various programs,' Shah said. He added that in a single year, the organisation aims to run thousands of programmes managed by youth aged 15 to 24.

Shah noted that nearly 30,000 students have actively worked with IIMUN over the years, and that the platform has reportedly impacted an estimated 7 to 7.5 crore people. 'As for how many people were actually impacted, you would have to ask them directly,' he acknowledged, flagging the estimate's limitations.

On the ideological breadth of the initiative, Shah said: 'I believe that organisations like RSS and Indian National Congress, along with other prominent institutions, should be studied by the younger generations. These organisations have different ideologies, and hence, the new generation should learn about them.'

Other Notable Attendees

Beyond Bhagwat, several prominent figures are expected at the conference, including actor Shabana Azmi, actor Boman Irani, and former Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud. The breadth of attendees reflects the event's stated aim of presenting students with voices from across public life.

Shah on Youth Frustration and Education

Commenting on recent protests linked to paper leaks and alleged examination irregularities, Shah said the concerns raised deserved attention regardless of political affiliation. 'The issues that were raised during the protest were of utmost importance. Neither CJP nor BJP; we need to talk about education. I do believe if the country needs to strengthen, then the education system should also,' he said.

Shah also stressed that while raising concerns is valid, public protests should maintain decorum. 'The vocabulary used by a few people during the protest, no matter for whom — be it the Prime Minister or the LoP — we should avoid. The protest should be within limits. This generation is frustrated, and now it’s coming out,' he said, attributing part of that frustration to what he described as the influence of certain content in sections of the film industry and on social media.

He further argued that the broader social and political environment bears shared responsibility: 'This is not entirely the fault of Gen Z but also of the generations before them for the environment that has been created,' Shah said, adding that cross-party and cultural factors both contribute to youth disillusionment.

With the 6 August conference now days away, all eyes will be on how Bhagwat frames his message to a generation that is simultaneously idealistic and deeply sceptical of institutions.