By: Mahipal Singh

In words of Henry James (an American scholar) “Youth is the joy, the little bird that has broken out of the eggs and is eagerly waiting to spread out its wings in the open sky of freedom and hope.”

India is a nation where we have more than half of population which comes under “youth” i.e. around 600 million people in India comes in age group of 15-29. This number is equal to the population of USA and Western Europe. Isn’t its Amazing…

But the big question is how many of us are really useful for nation?. It’s said that the power of a nation is in proportion to its youth population. We have a enormously huge youth power but it’s not worth of having a bloody 600 million people, read along and you would get to know why??

If we talk on basics then according to Election Commission of India we have 675 million voters in which 40% are youth but the voting turnout of youth in the 2009 general election was between 20-25%.. Where we were at that time, I guess the Indian youth was partying or was busy in face-booking, updating his status or photos.

In the world’s biggest democratic country when we get chance to vote, we can leave it for a movie, just by saying – “Yaar voting station pe line lambi thi”. Queue doesn’t matter when we are standing at ticket window of a multiplex. If you don’t vote than you have no right to say anything about Government.

I have always seen youth talking about corrupt politicians even I do. But, what about joining politics? We just have 17% of youth politicians in India. The number of MP’s in the age group of 25-40 is just 71 out of 545. These statistics don’t allow us to complain against the oldies.

Where are we? Ok let’s talk about sports. Leave cricket and come to football.

We have 600 million youth and we don’t have mere 11 dudes to kick a ball. Amazing! We don’t have anyone like Rafael Nadal, Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps. So where we are 600 million dudes and what the hell are we doing man?

Yeh hai “Youngistan” meri jaan, NO!!! Yeh hai “adjust-istan” meri jaan.

We are the world’s most adjustable guys. Petrol rates got hike, we said – its Ok Yaar!!! Will ride less. But we will never ask “Why”. If the road is broken, we will change our routes but we will never go to PWD to ask “why”?? We will never use our “Right to information”.

According to Forbes report “Indian youth are most optimistic in world” well it’s true we always believe that something good will happen but we never try to change anything. We have a great new cool formula of living life i.e.” let the things be as they are”. Come on man how long this formula is going to work?

The dilemma with Indian youth is that we only think about “money matters” its true money matters but not always. We should also think about our nation. Everyone wants there surrounding clean but no one wants to clean it up themselves.

“Indian youth is nothing but a lost generation” it’s painful but sadly its true. What we did yet? Just by getting admissions in IIT’s or IIM’s doesn’t make any sense.

We are not even loyal to our country, as after studying at such premier institutes, we indulge in nothing but a brain- drain and all this in a bid to make our future a secure and safe one. Majority of Indian youngsters are on their toes to get them-selves enrolled at the IIT’s or the IIM’s, but what about the defense services?? We have a shortage of 16,000 officers in Indian army. So why can’t we realize that we need to fill this huge gap.

We (the youth) are overtly active on the internet. We are a rebel on social networks. But what happens when it comes to do the same practically- on the roads, we then just leave it saying “this is not our cup of tea” Its shows how virtual are we.

We say Indian youth are highly inspired from the west but just taking inspiration from the way they dress or their accent is not going to do. We all have seen many revolution and protests in the Europe with students hanging their bags back and standing for their rights but I doubt whether this has ever happened in India.

According to a Financial Express survey, there are only 27% of active youth readers in India which is less than any European country. This shows the “lack of readership” and consequently the lack of awareness in Indian youth.

India ranks number one in suicides , in every 15 minutes someone commits a suicide and in every 3 cases 1 case of committing suicide is in age group of 15-30, that means in every 45 minutes, one youth is committing suicide (source : national crime record bureau) and we still say that the Indian youth is “optimistic”.

Yes we are optimistic, we have faith in our government that the 2G scam will became bigger next time and it will be called 4G scam. If some day we will host Olympics then its sure that the scam will be 100 times bigger than CWG. We are definitely going to feed more terrorists by giving them a suite in our jails. But we (youth) are not going to involve in helping the nation. We like to sit back and watch the drama. Because we are Indian youth.

We are the strongest on where our numbers are concerned but what if we are not courageous we have oldies that are making the nation hell. It just doesn’t bother us…

Actually we are little busy, we are busy in parties, we are busy in long drives, we are busy in cricket,  with our girl friends, on phone calls, on facebook, watching movies, in finding jobs abroad, in our last night hangover.

All in all we are grossly occupied, so from where the hell do we take time out for such problems that our nation wants us to solve.. We are sorry.

Come on guys!!!! Wake up , we are the power , we should understand , nation is waiting…

India can become a developed nation only if everyone contributes in the best of his or her capacity and ability. The Youth is wholly experimental and with the full utilization of the talents of the Youth, India will become a complete Nation. Let us hope for the same.

‘Youth is like a fire

It crept forward.

A Spark at first

Growing into a flame

Then brightening into a Blaze’.

Edited by: Hussain Magarwala

The author of this article, Mahipal Singh is a student of International Tourism, he is a passionate writer on stuffs like culture, youth, international relations, social issues etc.