The biggest surprise of the recent elections in a few Indian states, came from Tamil Nadu where a newly formed party, TVK, led by Tamil superstar, a political novice, Joseph Vijay emerged the single largest party with 108 seats in a House of 234. A big reason behind his stupendous performance, which caught many political pundits by surprise, was the huge support from the young (Vijay got over 50 per cent of the votes from the 18–39 age group comprising 42 per cent of Tamil Nadu’s population). The other was that those younger than 18, and with no voting rights, persuaded their parents and other elders, to go out and vote for Vijay. Let’s give him a chance, they pleaded!
After the results, Vijay sent his young voters and the children who had encouraged or pressured their elders to vote for him, a warm, heartfelt message: ‘Vijay Uncle’s thanks,’ which went viral. The unprecedented 85.1 per cent voter turnout felt like a celebration, he added.
In recent years we’ve been hearing Rotary’s top leadership constantly rooting for younger members, elevating Rotaract and making Rotaractors and Interactors feel an integral part of the Rotary family. Rotaractors can now become members of Rotary clubs even while holding their Rotaract club membership. At major RI events such as Conventions, International Assembly and Zone Institutes DRRs are invited and included in panel discussions. What is even more welcome is the enabling environment they are given… to speak freely and fearlessly.
Greatly impressed with the confidence and fearless manner in which RID 3192 DRR Janice Philip participated in a panel discussion moderated by both the RI Directors K P Nagesh and M Muruganandam at Tejas, the Delhi Zone Institute, I later interviewed her (Page 18). Her demeanour and composure, ideas and the confidence with which she articulates them are exemplary.
She is just one among lakhs of such young leaders in India today, epitomising what Nandan Nilekani, the co-founder of Infosys, describes in his 2008 book, Imagining India, as its ‘demographic dividend’. Here he explains in detail how India has successfully transitioned from its socialistic past and is marching towards becoming a global economic power. The writer argues that India’s huge youth population, if effectively managed and given the right opportunities, can become a tremendous asset which can catapult India on the world stage as a power to reckon with. But, he warns, if handled improperly, the young could become an unmanageable liability or a ‘demographic disaster’.
What is indisputable is the immense energy, enthusiasm and optimism that the young have… everywhere in the world. As well as courage and fearlessness to speak their mind. Was it not precisely this spirit that led an angry and emotionally charged Greta Thunberg, then merely 16, to challenge world leaders at the UN’s Climate Action Summit in New York City in 2019 on carbon emission with that famous speech ‘How dare you’?
She had thundered: “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth… How dare you continue to look away and come here saying that you’re doing enough, when the politics and solutions needed are still nowhere in sight.”
Need one say more?
Rasheeda Bhagat