Youth are the pole bearers of a nation; it is on their shoulders that a lot of responsibility lies. The stronger these shoulders, the more developed is the nation. Youth are full of zeal, enthusiasm and energy. They have an idealistic approach towards life and a determination to prove themselves and to even fight and die for their nation. A young mind has a fire and if this is put to right use, it can bring about a revolution. It can change the world.
Dr. Sir Mohammad Iqbal relized the importance of youth in the development of the nation hence he tried to stir them from their slumber by his poetry.
Khuda tughe kissi toofaan se aashna karde
Teri behar ki mojoon mai iztiraab nahi
Tughe kitab se mumkin nahi farag ki tu
Kitab khawan hai magu saahibe kitab nahi!
Last year, the world reached a historic milestone with seven billion people, 1.8 billion of which are youth aged 10 to 24. Youth usually constitute about 24.9 percent of world population hence whatever they do, itll affect their nation.
History tells us how youth brought about many revolutions. Let there be no doubt about their strength, power and capability. Their counterparts have changed the governments in their own countries. It was the youth of Indonesia who overthrew even their President. The massive youth movement in Czechoslovakia succeeded against the military invasion on their country. The recent history of Cambodia, Cuba, France and Pakistan provide evidences of their invincible force. They story is Malaya Yousuf Zai is one such inspiration. Even in India, the youth have played a very inspiring role in the freedom movement. It is heartening to find the youth of Kashmir also touching various horizons.
Even in the contemporary world, revolutionary youth have modified modern outlook. Bill gates changed the world when he was just out of college. Facebook which we all are addicted to is also the gift of a young man. In politics also, young faces like Agatha Sangma, the youngest MP, Omar Abdulla, Akhilesh yadav, Sachin Pilot, Henna Rabbani khar show dynamism and work with individuality. Britain, the country from which we derived much of our political framework, boasts of a 43-years-old PM in David Cameron. In the current Indian Parliament, which has a mean age of 53 years, there are only 79 leaders who are under 42. Hence there is a dire need for active participation of youth in politics. The task of nation building is enormous and can be divided into many phases and compartments. It has some work for everybody. All the young people may be involved in this work. They may be assigned jobs according to their capacity and capability.
Youth signify dynamism and without change, life becomes stagnation, and stagnation is synonymous with death. A progressive nation has youth as its torch bearers.
Youth can bring about a social change but if the young men and women of a nation are misled, then a social disaster is inevitable. Youth falling prey to illiteracy and evil practices not only ruin their lives but also hamper the progress of the nation. It is widely known that it is the youth who can demolish the entire set up of a nation which is true because if the energy and determination is not channelized, there shall be devastation. But proper guidance and education is a must. Proper employment that brings forth their talents increases the morale of youth and gives them self confidence. Youth in developing countries becomes victims of social evils. These evils include corruption, black marketing, communalism, terrorism, female feticide and the dowry system. Many organizations like UNFPA, Ashoka, Youth Change, AFRIYAN, and Restless Development are doing a terrific job in helping youth all over the world. So youth are a resource that every nation should treasure for they are not just the present but also the future.
Author can be reached at: [email protected]
