Delhi election has seen a tremendous youth participation and it is the Aam Adami Party (AAP) that has projected many young contestants mostly from the age group of 25-35 years this year. Even 57 independent candidates out of total who fought Delhi elections in 2013 belonged to this age group. Most of the candidates were between 36-45 years. In this category there were total of 279 candidates in which 29 were from BSP, 17 from AAP and 90 independents. Political parties are leaving no stone unturned to project themselves as futuristic party. On the other hand youth participation has helped the parties to make connection with the young voters who are also increasing in number. With such a great participation, do you think youth can bring change in India?
Frustration of today’s youth is obvious and there are many issues of major concern such as corruption, bribery, education system, delay in progress, unnecessary burden, less jobs, poor infrastructure etc. But how one can deal with all these problems? Actually it is not about the problem but about the system. Change can be brought by changing the entire system. Though it is not easy but possible and needs a constant vigor, determination, will power and honesty. Now youth is considered as a driving force of any nation. Also youth means new ideas which are immensely important for the country to go forward and to change the system. But youth will have to be more creative and full of new ideas.
Most of the time we criticize our own motherland but it is not the motherland which is wrong it is us who has done wrong to make her like this. For the success of any project its foundation must be strong. It goes true for any kind of work. So if you want to bring change, first of all you have to change. Be a good citizen, know your responsibilities and rights as an Indian citizen. Take the responsibility of educating people around you. Indian youth will have to be more determined in bringing any kind of change.
For any change youth needs to be empowered. Many young people are working with a mission and have the ability to change that mission and vision into reality. Prakhar Bhartiya is one such example who is not a big name but what he is doing is really big and commendable. He did his schooling from Kanpur. His school was just opposite to the slum area. When he grew up kids from slum used to serve them food in the canteen. For him it was not a normal thing. Since then there was a desire and a vision inside him to do something for such people in India. With thoughts and ideas in mind he started the Youth Alliance, an initiative with a vision. As the President of the Student Union in the college he got support from many college students. But at the end of the degree most of the students opted the traditional course rather than this cause. But Prakhar still worked towards his vision. It worked with Janaagraha, a citizen participation organization and run ‘Jaago re’ voter rights campaign in northern India. He even taught in the slums of Mumbai under Teach India program. Giving ownership to people around him and to his team is his success mantra. Today, Youth Alliance is growing and its supporters are increasing in number. They are working on social causes to bring change in the society.
There are many examples of this kind in India where youth have set examples. Manoj Vasudevan, 24 years old had created ‘SourcePilani’ a rural business process outsourcing company in 2007 in Rajasthan. The least sought after area for Business Process Outsourcing. The main objective of SourcePilani was to create employment at low cost and that too in rural India. For this, youth were selected from colleges who were interested in doing outsourcing job. They were then trained for three months in English as most of them were from Hindi stream. This initiative not only brought job but also improved the overall economic level of the city. SourcePilani is really helping these rural poor who were earlier dependent only on agriculture with daily income less than $1 a day. Opening more branches in other rural areas is under the expansion plan of the company. So be it for profit or non-profit, youth can really bring a big change in the society.
Just taking the first step is difficult, but once you have taken that then consistence performance and doing your duty with dedication marks the success. Ultimately it is the youth who will lead the country so they must come forward and take the responsibility.
