Indian Youth – the Indomitable Power

Back in 1970, Dr C V Raman, at the age of 82 had once given the following message: “I would like to tell the young men and women before me not to lose hope and courage. ..I can assert without fear of contradiction that the quality of the Indian mind is equal to the quality of any Teutonic, Nordic or Anglo-Saxon mind. What we lack is perhaps courage, what we lack is perhaps driving force, which takes one anywhere. We have, I think, developed an inferiority complex.. We need a spirit of victory, a spirit that will carry us to our rightful place under the sun, a spirit, which will recognize that we, as inheritors of a proud civilization, are entitled to a rightful place on this planet. If that indomitable spirit were to arise, nothing can hold us from achieving our rightful destiny."

Well, for decades, Indian Youth were the yuppie crowds trying to find their footing, but today I see the spark on. A global survey conducted by Swedish research and consulting firm Kairos Future in 2007 reveals Indians as the ‘happiest lot of the world’. The young middle-class Indians are much more satisfied with all aspects of their lives compared to other nationalities. The CEO and the founder quoted: Indian youth are also strikingly more optimistic about their own future and also about the future of society. The general picture in other countries is that young people tend to be personal optimists but societal pessimists,”

Todays Indian youth has always been proud of their nationality. The blue jeans and funky T-shirts may have replaced the Kurta and saree, but the immense love and repect for THY mother is now giving way to a loud voice and action. The lava has started emerging. Be it the Jessica Lal case, the Nitish Katara murder case or quota protests, the courageous lot have braved and bared the water cannons and resurrected till their voice was respected. Adding to this are catalysts like Rang de Basanti, young leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Sachin Pilot, aspiring presidents like Mr. Abdul Kalam, who believe in India 2020 as - a Nation that is one of the best places to live in.

As the honourable Kalam, the Indian youth too dream of India with creative and effective leadership in Parliament, a transparent system, a place where best of healthcare is available, with a thin divide of haves and have nots. In his popular website Mr Kalam states: “I would like to put forth that the ignited mind of the youth is the most powerful resource on the earth, above the earth and under the earth. I am convinced that the youth power, if properly directed and controlled, could bring about transformational changes in humanity for its progress, meeting its challenges and bring peace and prosperity”

We can now witness the young voices in each and every aspect of the country; be it the N-Deal or the more important grassroot level issues like health programme, social ills, dowry, accidents, AIDS or even medical negligence.

To quote, I have 2 small stories, some of my greatest inspirations.

Story 1: On a night of May 2003, while enjoying a cup of tea Rajat and his friends (engg students from MSRIT) came across a person who was desperately looking for blood donors. On investigating in the hospital, they found that he was a non resident of Bangalore and was struggling since last 5 hours. The blood bank had blood, but it was insisting on the blood to be replaced. These students immediately gave blood but by the time they were back from the blood bank the patient had died. The distressing lot took this emotional recharge as a responsibility and started blood donation camps. Today their Sankalp India Foundation has successfully networked with the major bloodbanks in Bangalore and ensuring that no one dies due to shortage of blood. They have come up with the 1062 campaign – a toll free number to request for any kind of blood during emergency. Story doesn’t end here. These brave souls have majorly served people in calamities like tsunami and earthquakes. They also keep coming with events to instigate participation of people in National Festivals, prevent disrespect to the National Flag and ensure that the Martyrs are not forgotten. (read more at : http://sankalpindia.net/)

Story 2: The idea of conducting English classes for the slum children occurred in October 2004 and this was the starting point of what is now a mini movement called DreamIndia2020. A bunch of youngsters spotted some slum children playing infront of their houses. The enthusiastic lot joined them and in the course of game and conversation discovered that the quality of education available to them from the local government school was far below standard. Realizing the sense of responsibility, this group started with providing English education those 15 slum children on an abandoned govt. land, getting which was also no childs play. Inspired by president Kalam’s 2020 vision, this group fought all odds to publicize their newsletter, from adding 1000’s of copies in the newspapers to personally handling over early morning in the parks. Today Dream India 2020 includes a group of 100 plus volunteers with centers in 6 major cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore. Today this group has gone to all extremes to try and improvise the quality of education to not only slum dwellers, but to other neglected masses like mentally challenged kids to those affected by aids. Their activities include the length and breadth of funding the education for unprivileged lot, to persuading the parents to send their kids to school to small projects to raise voice against societal ills like child begging. (read more at: http://dreamindia2020.org/login.do)

All the people involved in these drives belong to the same work hard party hard Generation X who are either students or employed fulltime in service and manufacturing industries – mostly software engineers. The X factor in them is courage of convictions and ability to face lot of opposition and problems to get their job done for the society.

Jawaharlal Lal Nehru said: 'Freedom comes with responsibility'. Thousands and thousands of youngsters like the members of Sankalp and DreamIndia are now in the shoes of the freedom fighters, brawling in their free time to liberate our India from the societal shackles.

With immense pride of being a part of this generation, I dream of the return of ‘Bharat – woh sone ki chidiya (the golden bird)’; a liberated free, most powerful nation that’s the best place to live in on the universe in a couple of decades. For young souls mounting, a little contribution of each one of you, will soon lead to the outburst – ‘Superpower India’ will no longer be a dream.

For all those who read through it, be it young at age or young at heart, take a moment and take a blissful deep breath of YOUR lovely India. Awaken your senses. To conclude, would like to quote Ester Hicks – Be easy about it, have fun with it…there is nothing that you are supposed to do…only that YOU WANT TO DO!

Jai Hind!!