Unleashing the Potential of India's Youth: The Key to Achieving Equity

As we celebrate the 75th year of Independence, or the ‘Azadi ka amrit mahotsav’, the nation reflects on its progress and the challenges that still lie ahead. One of the most pressing issues facing India today is the problem of equity. Who can forget the visuals of migrant labourers walking hundreds of kilometres from various cities to villages. These individuals, many of whom were forced to leave their jobs and homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, trudging along the highways, with little more than the clothes on their backs, is a stark reminder of the inequity that exists in our country. The latest Oxfam India Inequality report for 2022 serves to underscore the alarming disparity in wealth distribution within the country, as evidenced by the proliferation of billionaires, surging from 102 in 2020 to a staggering 142 in 2021, while the proportion of national wealth held by the bottom 50% of the population remained a meagre 6%.?

But, how does one make sense of these challenges and what can be done to contribute towards India’s nation building? The ‘Youth in India 2022’ report states that the share of India’s youth between the age of 15-29 is roughly 27% of the population, and with over 65% of India’s population below the age of 35. This demographic advantage, characterised by a burgeoning cohort of individuals within the productive age range, holds the potential to significantly contribute towards realising the country's potential and addressing the issues of equity. We want what Lovegrove and Thomas from Mckinsey would call ' the tri-sector athletes' to bring leaders and organisations across sectors to solve complex adaptive challenges.

Aniket Doegar, a young social entrepreneur, observed during his early stage of his career as a Teach For India Fellow that most of India’s marginalised communities still do not have access to thousands of welfare schemes rolled out by state and central government bodies across the country. He started Haqdarshak Empowerment Solutions Private Limited (HESPL), a social impact organisation that aims to improve accessibility to welfare schemes for low-income rural and urban communities in India through digitisation. Over the last seven years, Haqdarshak has digitised over 6,000 schemes in various local Indian languages and has provided support to over 120,000 people in both rural and urban areas. Recently, Aniket was named as one of the 25 World Economic forum based Schwab Foundation’s innovators of the year. Aniket’s is a great example of? using new-age innovation to solve large scale adaptive challenges.?

Another salient illustration of the synergistic endeavours of youth and civil society organisations, exemplifying the power of collective action is that of ‘Hunger Collective’. Rajashri Sai, one of the co-founders of Hunger Collective, is another young leader, who is striving to enhance the impact and growth of sustainable enterprises and grassroots communities through her work at Impact tree. The convergence of their specialised knowledge and resources served over 150000 people in a span of less than 2 months during the pandemic, making it a quintessential example of the efficacy of multi-stakeholder collaboration in tackling complex socio-economic challenges.

Amidst the chaos and uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent nationwide lockdown, one young teacher in Hyderabad, Amzad, came to realise the true potential of the role educators play in shaping our nation's future. As a Teach For India Fellow, Amzad was faced with the daunting task of ensuring the continuation of education for his 95 students, despite the staggering socio-economic challenges they faced. Many of these students, hailing from low-income families, had no access to smartphones or a safe space to learn, and their parents had lost their livelihoods. But Amzad refused to let these barriers defeat him. With a steadfast determination to succeed, he ventured out on the ground and personally met each of his students to provide them with the necessary resources and emotional support they needed to navigate this difficult period. He went above and beyond by utilising his own network to mobilise funds and support for his students and their families, who were struggling to make ends meet.??

Aniket’s, Rajashri’s and Amzad's tireless efforts serve as a powerful reminder of the crucial role that young individuals can play in shaping the future of our nation. In conclusion, history serves as a powerful reminder of the agency and impact of young individuals in the crucible of nation-building. The Indian independence movement stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit and unwavering resolve of the youth, regardless of their socio-economic background, in the face of crisis and adversity. As India heads towards the next decade, it is more crucial than ever that we, as a nation, draw inspiration from our past, and present, to empower our youth to be the change-makers of today and the leaders of tomorrow.

About the author -

Vignesh Krishnan was part of the founding cohort of Teach For India Delhi, in 2011. He joined the Hyderabad team as the City Director in early 2020. Vignesh brings with him a deep commitment to Educational equity; a belief in the power of people development; and a nuanced understanding of Teach For India’s program and operations.