Nagpur: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat is set to engage with students and young people at a programme organised by the Lokmat Media Group in Nagpur on Independence Day, August 15, as the organisation seeks to deepen its connect with the younger generation.

Bhagwat will interact with youth at an event to be held at Kasturchand Park in Civil Lines. He is also scheduled to hoist the national flag at 9.30 am at the venue, where a 200-foot-high national flag was installed by the Lokmat Media Group and inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in March this year.

The interaction assumes significance amid increasing political and social engagement among young people, including student-led protests and growing discussions around issues affecting the country.

People familiar with the programme said Bhagwat’s interaction with Gen Z is intended to provide an opportunity to understand the aspirations, concerns and expectations of young people. Similar interactions involving senior RSS leaders and students are also expected to be organised periodically as part of the organisation’s outreach to the younger generation.

Bhagwat’s Independence Day programme in Nagpur comes ahead of his scheduled visit to New York City on August 29, where he is expected to deliver the principal address at a major Hindu-American gathering coinciding with Raksha Bandhan.

The New York programme is expected to focus on the growing role and contributions of Hindu Americans in areas including education, healthcare, business, public service, philanthropy and civic engagement. The theme of the gathering is “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” — The World Is One Family.

Bhagwat, who has headed the RSS since 2009, is expected to draw significant attention during both engagements, particularly his interaction with young people in Nagpur on Independence Day.