Learning from Generations - Dr. C. J. Rajendra Prasad
Youth Empowerment for the empowerment of the Nation.
Youth power is known to be the most energetic and vivacious. The reaction of Youth to any situation or event is unmindful and instantaneous. The power of youth has to be harnessed and made to flow in the right direction to ensure that the nation benefits with their thinking, their energy, and their action.
Bringing the youth together on one platform may not be easy but getting the youth of the nation to think positively, irrespective of where they are can be a tremendous progress factor. They must be encouraged to take up responsibility, to react positively, to express fairly, and to act reasonably in every situation of life – personal, social, or political. Training the mind-set of youth will make them ready to carry out responsibility and also conduct themselves with honor and to influence others in a positive manner.
Young individuals have to be trained as they are unexposed, inexperienced, and in a state of indefiniteness. They must be given opportunities to handle situations and to train themselves in all facets of life. It is only when they are ready for greater challenges leading to the common good for all, they can be empowered, thus leading to a young nation that will grab every opportunity towards development.
Youth empowerment is a long journey – a journey that needs to be broken at several stages to check, evaluate, and to detect many approaches and strategies to lead the army of youth in the right direction.
Our ‘youngistans’ belong to the progressive population and have great expectations, good access to information, and are able to be influenced and can influence positive thinking and changes in society. We have to take maximum advantage of the youth population to build young groups and leaders who will think with a new dimension and lead the nation to newer achievements and progress. Youth should be trained and be empowered for the progress of the nation in the path that sets India on the World pedestal as “Young nation” with “Young administrators and leaders” – leaders who learn from other’s experiences but act upon independent evaluations.
Our youth power has to be channelized, molded, and re-shaped to bring upon them the yearning to achieve and win. Their victory in every arena is the victory of the nation. We must empower the youth so that our future is in the hands of young minds and young thoughts. The nation that is led by youth will have a fresh agenda to bring about new changes that will match the minds of the young population and also keep the seniors young in their thoughts and action.
If you belong to the new generation of young India – consider yourself lucky – because you are experiencing growth and progress with no confusion in your mind. The thing called the generation gap has not affected you adversely. This ‘mobile-mall-mast’ generation that reacts to situation instantaneously with spontaneity comes with a self-tutored mind, a mind of their own that puts to test their qualifying independence and originality – often shocking often surprising and always leaving an impact that is questionable – but never questioned. Even if questioned, the youngsters will not answer – even if the answers are known and easy. “It is their life.”
On the other hand, if you belong to the Middle-aged group of the population – you have gone through it all – telephone to pagers to handphone to mobiles. A learn-it-all-by-yourself generation that had the confusion of following the past conservative ways of life or to adapt to the fast-growth-factors of life. Everyone in this middle-aged group had the challenge and confusion to face – technology or tradition, home ground or wider horizons, Kith-n-kin or Kill-n-win, outgoing or out-beaten, colors or cloudiness, step ahead or stagnate – so many choices, so many fears, and so many challenges. Ultimately the group had to fight it out and win to stand along with the millennials. The “You” and the “Yeah” crowd.
The calmed and tested generation are the ones who have silver streaks and treasure of knowledge. Their learning may be few but their knowledge is worth gold. This generation speaks of contentment, limited but significant achievement, original growth and above all this, they are titled ‘relationship experts’. If you meet any of them, they will recall and relate to everyone they knew in their times – anecdotes to highlight the events of the day. (Unlike the cream of today who know not how they were churned.)
But the gracefulness of the 40 Plus in accepting and encouraging the youth of today only leaves much to be desired. India today is in focus on the globe – watched, witnessed, and wondered about. No more snakes, overcrowded bullock carts, turbaned street warmers, elephants, and covered faces – we have stepped ahead – as if planned by destiny – we have come to the fore to take over a lead…and lead we must. Every youth is a potential leader, a person who does not have followers but sets standards for others to follow.
So – challenge yourself to stand out and be the best. Youth today has much to learn and much more to teach. So the youngster must learn and benefit all others when they teach through their ways of life.
Empowering youth is the new mantra that will have the nation rocking to the new tunes of success and glory. So let the ageless, aging, and the aged paint India the best on the World Map.
Remember the best and the most qualifying competitor is YOU – YOURSELF.
Learning from Generations - Dr. C. J. Rajendra Prasad