'Political India @ 60 needs infusion of Youth'

“The role of youth today is primarily limited to joining fan clubs of film stars. This should change,” says Deepak M. Rao. “We should enter politics in a big way, be more responsible to society.” Strong, stirring words, you would expect from a wise old man, like his grandpa, B.R. Ramanatha Rao, a retired bank executive. Or from his banker-parents. But from a 23-year-old? That about sums him up nicely. A mechanical engineer by profession, he chucked up a plum job at Infosys, and chose to be a business analyst. He’s just back from Prague, Czech Republic, where he attended the 14th International Youth Leadership Conference (IYLC), as the lone delegate from India. The conference was as youthful as it gets – 100 participants from 53 countries, in the age-group of 18-24. The experience has only strengthened his resolve “to move away from the trodden path”. Agree his parents Madhava Rao and Sumitra Rao, “He loves to take on new challenges, and believes in doing his own thing.” In this interview, Deepak shares his experience with our readers, and why such exchanges can be more than just an academic exercise:

What was the primary aim of the conference?
IYLC brought together under a single platform youngsters from various walks of life, different cultural and religious backgrounds, who have one thing in common. They feel responsible for the society they belong to and are determined to make a positive difference to this world.

The conference was organized by Civic Concepts International and the whole idea behind it was to deliberate on fresh ideas and issues without the barriers of caste, religion, language, region and race.

What kind of discussions were held? Was it the usual sort of presentations and official stuff like that?
That of course, plus a number of simulations, meetings with diplomats, and talks by experts on major issues of topical relevance. In the last conference, we had the International Criminal Court simulation, UN Security General Conference and Parliamentary hearing simulation. We visited Radio Free Europe, a UN backed broadcast organization. At the PriceWaterHouseCoopers office, we interacted with top diplomats, and it was a great learning curve for us, a hugely educating experience. We also met up with officials who influence and oversee policy changes.

But do 20-year-olds really know enough to deliberate on complex issues of importance to the whole world?
Well, it’s a misnomer that youngsters today do not care much outside of their iPods, bikes and other gadgetry. We do care irrespective of which country we come from. While regional differences do add a distinct flavour, the bottom line is that we do care.

How do the young foreign delegates view India and Indian values?
We have made great strides in the way they look at us. India is no more a land of snake charmers and the Great Indian Rope Trick. On my side, the experience opened my eyes to many things. I must confess I am now less narrow minded than I was before. I came back with the feeling that most media reports on issues concerning the welfare of the public, are largely prejudiced. Our media is yet to develop a culture of rational, open-minded thinking. Conferences like IYLC open our eyes to such flaws in our thinking and show how we can easily right ourselves.

What do you perceive as the biggest challenge for youth in the world in general and India in particular?
The challenges differ. Country-wise, scale of economy wise etc. For example in Africa, the youth needs to stay focused on trying to bring down tribal clashes. In developing nations like India and China, the youth need to channel their efforts for the development of not just the urban areas but also the rural areas. The transition from a developing economy to a developed economy, and the pitfalls thereof, are a big challenge. In developed nations, the youth need to maintain the standards in health, education and also offer a hand in help to the developing nations of the world.

How do you think such challenges can be met? Was that discussed at the conference?
While participation is a personal stand, each one of us needs to take that one small step towards meeting our challenges. When discussing this at the conference, we understood that one of the steps that could put to action such admittedly grand plans was to increase youth participation in politics. For example, in Canada and certain countries of Africa, the participation of youth in politics is commendable. In our country, however, the surname and lineage decide the poll results well before the youngster even decides to file his nomination. The role of youth is primarily limited to fan clubs of film stars or ‘mature’ politicians. This must change. Political India @ 60 needs an infusion of youth!