Youth Entrepreneurship and Indian Independence Day

Two days between International Day of Youth and Independence Day of India quite feel like a cavity deep down in a seabed from where thoughts, ideas and opportunities bubble to the surface. Doesn’t add up much, does it? Well, if one were to look at the symbolic representation of these days the first celebrates young people and the latter the youthful spirit of independence and the struggle, the glory the nation’s freedom struggle showcased.

“As the world changes with unprecedented speed, young people are proving to be invaluable partners who can advance meaningful solutions. Youth movements and student groups are challenging traditional power structures and advocating a new social contract between states and societies. Young leaders have contributed fresh ideas, taken proactive measures, and mobilised through social media as never before.” said Ban Ki Moon, in his message on the International Day of Youth. This statement stands especially true in the Indian context, the country with a huge youth bulge and a radical history of youth movements has indeed a lot of scope to see young people excel as nation builders. But, diminishing economic opportunities, bureaucracy, poverty, extremism, unsteady political conditions, economic turmoil and social setbacks continue to shroud the lives of millions of young people in the country.

Entrepreneurship in general and youth-led social entrepreneurship in particular does not necessarily provide a one stop solution for all these problems however, it creates opportunities for expansion of mind, ideas, livelihoods, social structures and beyond. It gives young people a steady ground to ideate, create and replicate at a community level and bring to order a large scale transformation. India has given the world the concept of ‘Jugaad’ which is solid innovation under the garb of a casual lingo. Young people continue to build solutions and engineer new products in the country; they continue to be resilient in times of crisis.

This Independence Day for me is a celebration of a new enterprising India, one where the golden bird is reincarnated in the form of new ideas and the drive to transform them into reality.

Resource P.S. http://unhabitat.org/young-innovators-and-entrepreneurs/