Companies, Public and Private, Empowering Youngistan, India's Future

 “Our country needs more youth leaders to infuse creativity, energy and dynamism in different fields of national endeavor. I have great faith in the youth of our country. I have no doubt that given the right opportunity, they will rise to the occasion.” – Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India

As our nation’s PM believes, the change is in the hands of the youth and these young minds need to be empowered with the right tools and avenues. And, India's demographic statistics only make that belief stronger. About 50% of Indian population is below 20 years of age, and 70% below 40, according to Census data. It also reveals how the youth population is projected to peak at 484.86 million in 2030. With the ‘youth’ advantage positioning India as a rising power in all spheres and sectors, it’s this community of this country that would spearhead major developments in store for India.

Many leading organizations, both public and private, are coming in forefront by launching initiatives and products that would empower Youngistan to execute social change in the country. The events/initiatives launched by these companies are aimed at providing a platform to the youth that they can exploit to exhibit their skills and talents. At the same time, some companies are introducing features and products that are a result of the current lifestyle trends of the young Indians. All these steps stem from the growing socially conscious youth of the nation that wishes to leverage opportunities thrown at them to address key concerns of our country, and also who expects tools, products and services designed in a way that would facilitate national growth.

IRCTC: A New Mobile Ticketing Option Using SMS Aimed at Saving Paper

Soon after the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Department (IRCTC) launched the mobile service (a new mobile ticketing option using SMS) on 7 February 2012, the Indian youth was at it. By switching to this new development, the young India showed massive support to the authority’s initiative to go paperless. By showing mass support, the youth is clearly trying to educate all through this move, how one should leverage technology to minimize the use of our natural resources in order to conserve it.

Mobile Ticketing using SMS contains all essential data like the PNR number, names and numbers of passengers, coach and seat, date of journey, class and train number. Simply replacing the paper ticket with an SMS, the passenger has to only carry a valid identity proof (original) like voter ID card, passport, PAN card etc. Also, even if one accidently deletes the message or loses the device, one can still continue the journey by showing the identity proof and paying a penalty of Rs.50.

IRCTC wants to eliminate millions of printouts it believes were produced as a consequence of its 9 million online registrations in 2011. Through the SMS facility it expects to pave way for an environment friendly approach and reduce paper usage.

Maruti: Launched ‘Colors of Youth’, a Competitive Platform at a National Level to Pick the Most Talented Youngsters in the Country

Many young minds representing about 30 leading B schools and professional colleges in India are participating in the Maruti Suzuki’s ‘Colors of Youth 2011’, launched in November 2011 and expected last till February end.

Aimed at hunting for the most versatile, talented and skilled students, the event explores various facets of intellect possessed by the future leaders. Massive participation exhibited by students across colleges and schools signified demand for such avenues of competing for the youth away from the TV Reality (read Fake) Shows.

The competition evaluates the performance skills of the participants and then puts them through a general awareness quiz to bring out ‘India’s Most Talented Youngsters’. Ending in the last week of February 2012, the winners would be presented with Maruti Suzuki Ritz and other exciting prizes.

Adobe: Introduced Adobe Youth Voices Aspire Awards That Allows the Youth to Communicate Their Future Vision for India and Become the Voice of Change

The youth of today are exploring and exploiting various online and offline platforms to speak their mind and vision for Future India in today’s world.

One such platform is Adobe Youth Voices Aspire Awards, a global online media festival honoring young people who creatively communicate their vision for change in their communities and their lives, launched in February 2012. The forum, in its 6^th year, empowers youth to comment on their world using multimedia and digital tools to communicate and share their ideas, demonstrate their potential, and take action in their communities.

The Adobe Foundation also runs Adobe Youth Voices (AYV), its signature philanthropic initiative that screened over 22 short films made by children from the underserved community on February 6 as a part of the festival. Touching across a range of social topics like gender discrimination, education and corruption the short films highlighted issues that that are core to the hearts of these children.

Over 150,000 youth and 8,200 educators from across the globe are expected to participate in the online festival and share their vision of change in front of the world audience. The potential participants would compete across eight sub-categories – animation, documentary, music video, narrative video, poetry-experimental video, audio, graphic design and photography, and are required to submit their entries by April 20, 2012.

IDBI Bank: Launched the ‘Freedom Prepaid Card’ Aimed at the Youth who Prefer Cash Management Away from the Credit Card Addiction

IDBI, the country’s youngest private sector bank, unveiled the first re-loadable multi-purpose co-branded prepaid card in February 2012, aimed at the youth of the country. The card allows the users to make transaction without having to open a bank account.

The card has been designed keeping in mind the current lifestyle of the young of this country who wishes to manage their expenses, doesn’t wish to pay in Credit and who doesn’t want to carry too much cash with them. The Freedom Card is expected to be the perfect solution for Youth carrying these traits.

 “Of the 1.21 billion people of India, 50% comprises youth. Most of their purchases are impulsive and transacted in cash. Keeping their shopping traits, both offline and online, Freedom Card will thus empower them with balancing their monthly budget without having to open and maintain a bank account.” – RM Malla, Chairman and Managing Director, IDBI Bank.

With most of the transactions made by the youth of this country in cash, this new initiative aims at making life easy for them. Also, it facilitates cash management where the users can keep a tab on their expenses and plan budgeting. The card would empower the youth and make digital transaction an everyday phenomenon leading towards a cashless economy. It would thereby foster safe and responsible spending.

From all these examples, its apparent that the ‘YOU’ in ‘Youth’ has taken the national problems and issues personally and is ready to exploit any and every opportunity made available to them to address these problems.

The youth has given a thumbs-up to the IRCTC’s SMS option and have already made the switch to conserve our trees. Even the Freedom Prepaid Card expects to catch the fancy of the budget conscious youth. Do you think we need such innovative products to lead India towards a better tomorrow?

Also, massive participation exhibited by the youth as a part of Maruti’s ‘Colors of Youth’ and Adobe Youth Voices Aspire Awards has set a new tradition for those who want to voice their opinion and showcase their talent. What is your opinion about such platforms? You think they would succeed in showing a new direction to the future young Indians?