YOUTH POWER

In a country and a culture where inordinate respect is given to the elderly, the Indian youth have largely been sidelined. Led by our political class, we have been governed and influenced by an army of greybeards. Consider this, of the 543 elected members in the current Lok Sabha, barely 12 were born after 1970. Politics, unfortunately, does not reflect the reality on the ground. Demographics and economic opportunities have combined to dramatically change India’s social equations. The figures tell the story. The number of Indians below the age of 15 is currently 336 million; another 121 million are between the ages of 15 and 19 and those in the age group of 20-34 add up to 271 million. In short, the number of Indians below the age of 34 is an unprecedented 728 million, almost 70 percent of the population.

Never in our history have the youth constituted such a large and powerful demographic entity. It can be accurately said that in their hands lies the future of India. In the context, what is the future they see for themselves and for the country as a whole?

It is often said that youth is wasted on the young. But a survey shows quite the country. The youth are a unique hybrid of global attitudes but quintessentially Indian in almost everything else. Culturally, they reveal a surprisingly strong core of conservatism, quite contrary to the images we see in our films, TV and music videos. They convey a powerful sense of India and aggressive nationalism.

The overriding message: it is cool to be a conformist