New Delhi - 12th March 2011

Today we have a symposium for the day. We arrive bright and early and have quite a panel with Mr. Josy Joseph, a senior journalist from the Times of India; Prof. Ram Kumar, a professor from IP University, Delhi; Ms. Tripti Srivastava, President Lioness Club; and Ms. S. M. Rao, Manager, Victoria School. The discussion was moderated by Fr. Vakkachan Kumpail.

It was interesting to hear what each of them had to say. They all spoke about how our country has a boon in more than 50% of it being under the age of 35, and what enormous potential this is. But the most important thing is that this potential realized – would make India invincible.

Mr Josy Joseph spoke first. He spoke about youth and the whole value system in India.“Youth led development should be in our value system, a value system which is sadly missing in our country.  Elections have become so expensive that young people cannot think of running for elections. The youth should believe in standing up for what they believe in, whether it’s something like clean money over black money or something like that. Dont shy away from truth even if it means being unpopular in society.”

Mr. Ram Kumar took the podium next. “Youth are like clay – what you do with that clay is what matters – you can use it for good or you can spread terrorism. Youth are important because they are in the middle of life. Here I see 25 young people – I want it to translate into more people, and you started in India – I expect it to spread the whole world. All your messages should be like lightning and it should be like rain so that it spreads over a large area and benefits everyone. Youth have the power like nuclear power. If you use it positively you can do so much good, but in the wrong hands it will be that much more destructive.

“Swami Vivekananda said ’Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.’ It is the individual. If 1 rises and awakens, it awakens the society – 1 society – 1 country – 1 country – 1 world.

Through the K2K Campaign, your strength should come out and at the same time your weakness should also be rectified. I would like to see another such vehicle – this was Kanyakumari to Kashmir – the next should unite the world. The climb is difficult, but once you reach the top, things become easier and you see the whole world from that place.”

Ms. S. M. Rao gave us a tip on how to progress beyond yourself - always carry a pen and note down points that knowledgeable people say. She also spoke intensively about the Millennium Development Goals, what they were, how they were important and what all we can do to help achieve them. We all have a responsibility and if each of just fulfils our own responsibility, we can always be on the progressive road.

I kinda agree with her point of view. We all have a role to play somewhere.

Dr Tripti Srivastava said a whole bunch, but I just managed to get the gist:

“Young people proactively creating a better future for themselves and society.

“Youth have energy to spare. What needs to be developed is willingness to use that energy.”

“Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. Let this be that generation.”

Yeah the last one I remember being said by Nelson Mandela, but it still makes sense today. I particularly like the second one because its rings so true and yet I never heard anyone put it crisply. Energy to spare. Just think of the wonders that can be achieved if it is channelized and utilized.

Then there was a question-answer round where the audience got to throw questions at the speakers. One gentleman asked on where we went wrong. Greed, sex and no value system seem to rule the youth these days and they have no respect for elders. What is the solution to that?

Mr. Joseph answered  that if you look at America and Europe, the best of the lot like Clinton and Obama go into politics, here worst of the lot go into politics, so if the people leading the country are such, it will percolate to all levels of society.

The question for Mr Ram Kumar was that we don’t have good role models as such. How do we take lead in development?

Mr Ram told the youth “You need to take initiative. The power to make change lies in your hands. Just the way one vote can make a difference, you can make change in your family, in society. If you start a movement, like-minded people will join. Just take that first step.”

Rakesh then posed a question – when times comes for young people to take lead, older senior people take them as competitors rather than partners. Why is this?

Mr Joseph said that there are many people to guide the youth, but everything depends on how open are the youth to take guidance from the senior people. They must be open to learning and that will make all the difference.

Aparna, a youth in the audience spoke up. She mentioned how light has been put on certain issues now, but they were always there. The one especially where elders don’t allow their children to go out and take risks. To clean up a mess, you have to get dirty as well. But how many of our parents will allow us to jump into the fray, take that risk and get scratched to fix something. “Personally my mom wouldn’t allow me to do something like that. She’d tell me to stay away, but I am willing to take that risk. So I feel the older generation must allow the youth to go and get scratched and get dirty to clean up the mess.”

Another youth, Sylvester, put forward, “Why are no youth in politics? You are only allowed to enter Rajya Sabha and all if you are 35? Then you are an ‘oldie,’ so where does the ‘youth’ have a place in politics? Besides that, the salary of the President of India is 1 lakh 50 thousand and for someone like the Ambanis is 50 crore, so where is the incentive to join politics?

Ms. Rao replied that it is the tendency of the youth to blame others first, then think. It is important to gather correct information and then take any action. “If you become an expert in something and join its movement, then no one will stop you.”

Mr Ram Kumar also responded by saying that all political bodies have a youth wing. If the youth train themselves till they are 25 and then enter politics, they have plenty of time to lead after that.

It was a very stimulating day.