New Delhi, Jan 1 : Hailing Group Captain Shubhanshu Shuklaâ??s space sojourn in 2025, Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Thursday hoped that in the New Year, the energy of our youth, rooted in our rich cultural ethos, will lead the countryâ??s march towards the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.

In a message for citizens on the first day of 2026, â??I call upon the youth of India, the custodians of the nationâ??s future, to take five pledges for Bharat Mata on this New Year.â??

The pledges are: To remain completely free from drugs; to adopt technology responsibly and ethically, using innovation and digital tools for nation-building and inclusive development; to focus on physical and mental health by embracing an active lifestyle; to uphold constitutional values, integrity and social harmony and to contribute selflessly to the progress of the nation, he said.

During 2025, Operation Sindoor underscored Indiaâ??s determination to protect its citizens and sent a strong message to terrorists and their sponsors that justice and security will prevail, and that any threat to our sovereignty will be met with firm and resolute action, he said.

He said during the year, Parliament enacted historic legislation reflecting the nationâ??s determined march towards Viksit Bharat, while also witnessing significant deliberations, including the commemoration of the 150th year of Vande Mataram.

The nation solemnly observed several landmark occasions, including the 350th anniversary of the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur; the 150th birth anniversaries of Bhagwan Birsa Munda and Vallabhbhai Patel; the 125th birth anniversary of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee; and the 100th birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, said Radhakrishnan.

He also listed the nationâ??s achievements in the year gone by.

â??Indiaâ??s achievements in science, technology and space during 2025 further strengthened its position as a global innovation hub. Under the leadership of the ISRO, the successful SPADEX mission demonstrated satellite docking capabilities, while the LVM 3-M6 launch showcased Indiaâ??s growing heavy-lift capacity.â??

â??The mission of Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station marked a significant step in Indiaâ??s expanding human spaceflight ambitions,â?? he said.

â??In the field of sports, 2025 brought many moments of national pride. Our Menâ??s Cricket Team lifted the ICC Champions Trophy, while the Indian Womenâ??s Cricket Team created history by winning the ICC Womenâ??s Cricket World Cup for the first time. India also won both the menâ??s and womenâ??s titles at the Kho Kho World Cup,â?? he said, detailing achievements in the field of sports.

Meanwhile, Radhakrishnan will undertake a two-day visit to Tamil Nadu starting Friday for events including a university convocation, a civic reception and a templeâ??s Golden Jubilee in Vellore.

â??On Friday, the Vice President will preside over the 34th Convocation of Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute University, Chennai,â?? said a statement.

Later in the day, the Vice-President will attend the Ram Nath Goenka Sahitya Samman ceremony at Taj Coromandel. In the evening, he will participate in a Public Reception at Kalaivanar Arangam, Chennai. This will be followed by a Civic Reception hosted by the Governor of Tamil Nadu at Lok Bhavan, it said.

On Saturday, the Vice President will attend the 50th Golden Jubilee Jayanthi Celebrations of Sri Sakthi Amma at Vellore Golden Temple. In the afternoon, he will attend the 9th Siddha Day Celebrations at Kalaivanar Arangam, Triplicane, Chennai.

/IANS