1/29
With an average age of 29, India is currently home to a fifth of the world’s youth population. The United Nations Population Fund predicts that this ‘youth bulge’—often referred to as India’s demographic dividend—will last till about 2025, with India continuing to have one of the youngest populations in the world till 2030.
In the coming decade, more young people than ever before will join the country’s work force. Young people today are highly informed, aware of both domestic and international issues and increasingly technologically savvy. They are also highly mobile: according to a recent study by the Institute for Governance, Policies and Politics in Delhi, around 86 per cent of those aged 18-25 access the internet and social media through mobile phones. This constant exposure to different views, trends and news has resulted in adolescents and young adults with high aspirations for themselves and India.
The one thing that unites young Indians’ dreams for the country is an overwhelming belief in India’s potential
Whether it is pollution, the continuing lack of gender equality or the shortage of jobs, young people today are clear-sighted about the problems facing our country and aren’t afraid to name them. Take 16-year-old Shyla Upadhyay, a student at Delhi’s Vasant Valley School, who points out that while India is a country with many triumphs, its shortcomings can only be addressed through unity and respect for differences. Similarly, 17-year-old Riddhiman Ganguly, a student of Kolkata’s St Claret School, has a strong vision for the future: “[An India] where the marble floors of the shrines are sacred, [but] so is all the land, water and air. I yearn for an India where the bovines are [seen as] divine and so are all other flora and fauna. I wish to see an India where the elite are respected, but so are the [destitute homeless].”
The varied nature of young dreams today is striking. “Children don’t live isolated from what is going on in the country, or indeed the world anymore. Today, their knowledge base today is diverse and their goals can include just about anything,” says Sunita George, principal of Bombay Scottish High School in Mumbai. Indeed, there are few topics left untouched by young people when it comes to expectations from India—self-reliance, quality education, a more positive media culture, less crime, sensitivity towards the marginalised, free speech, even a peaceful night’s rest. The one thing that does unite their dreams for India is an overwhelming belief in the potential of the country. “My idea of India’s future reflects the India of the past. One in which the country’s genuine potential, its resources and people are recognised, valued and appreciated,” says 21-year-old Kashish Mathur, a student of Amity Law School, Noida.
There also exists a belief that the India of tomorrow will be defined and improved by the youth of today. The growing participation of young people in addressing the country’s problems can be seen in the sheer numbers that came out in support during the recent farmers’ protests and the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. Vibhor Jain, a 19-year-old studying at IIT Delhi says that while democratically elected politicians may have forgotten the plight of our country, “the youth hasn’t and will not forget India”. And 16-year-old Radhika Bharadwaj, a student of Seth Anandram Jaipuria School in Ghaziabad adds, “The capable youth of India are coming to the rescue.” It isn’t just economic value that India’s young demographic wishes to create but also cultural, social, environmental and political worth.
2/29
'Padhega India tabhi toh badhega America’. Actor Anupam Kher had put up this post on Instagram. It captured the reality of the Indian youth—many famous personalities, like Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai and Shantanu Narayen, have an Indian background. The data collected by Leverage Edu in 2021 shows that 94 per cent of Indian students choose to study abroad if they get the chance. This urge of Indian students to move away from their home to another country must have some significant reason behind it. Most students are chasing two things—exposure and experience. Most universities and schools in India still follow the process of rote learning of facts. There is a need for an education system that focuses on exposure rather than rote learning.
The youth, on the other hand, also have the responsibility to stay and help their own country grow rather than any other nation because ‘Padhega India tabhi toh badhega India’.
Chahak Malhotra | Fashion Media Communication, School of Contemporary Media, Pearl Academy, Delhi
3/29
I believe in what stand-up comedian Vir Das said—‘I live in two Indias’. The first one where the population explosion has a ripple effect in terms of unemployment, access to basic housing, sanitation and food, and the other where the population has the power to be a productive resource with established business acumen.
But don’t worry. The capable youth of India is coming to the rescue. I can envision content farmers, resilient students and transparent leaders in a gender-sensitised environment uniting to make an incredible India. Why am I so certain? Because we are being nurtured wonderfully by schools. Thanks, especially, to the New Education Policy.
So, rest assured, India is going to be in good hands.
Radhika Bharadwaj | Class 11 student, Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Vasundhara, Ghaziabad
4/29
The India of my dreams is that of a common citizen of this country, who wants to wake up after a peaceful sleep, with no worries about their job security or family’s safety, who wants to breathe clean air, walk down clean streets with fewer beggars. Who wants to sleep without worrying about the safety of their daughter returning late, without worrying about corruption. Who wants to be surrounded by countrymen who truly follow their dreams rather than blindly following society, grow companies at home that have a huge impact on employment and the world. Who is willing to get their hands dirty, cleaning boundaries made to divide people and erase the gap between decision-makers and the common people. My dream India isn’t just my dream, but also the dream of the million Indians living in slums, buildings and bungalows.
Prachi Kashyap | BTech Computer Science Engineering, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar
5/29
[The India we want]: A new India and, ironically, the oldest India,
One with safety to walk,
One with safety to talk,
One where voices are heard,
One where stereotypes are unheard;
Maybe the 50-year-old suited journalists have forgotten India,
And perhaps the democratically chosen politicians have forgotten India,
But the youth hasn’t and will not forget India.
From climate strikes, to giving voice to the voiceless, to marching on streets to know the truth, to going through the internet to garner support for the needy, to asking the right questions, to just knowing their rights and enforcing them, there is a change, and there will be one.
Visible? Yes,
Audible? Yes,
Fast? Probably not,
But comprehensive? Damn straight.
Vibhor Jain | BTech, Textile Technology, IIT Delhi
6/29
What is my dream India like? Well, it’s not like I’ve been given a menu card of choices to pick from. Ah, a more tolerant India. What would you like with that? A side of inclusivity? Maybe a dash of free speech and fundamental rights? Well, here you go, we offer everything in our Constitution.
But whether they offer you a dash of this and a side of that, never forget to take everything with a pinch of salt. The India I’ve grown up in has constantly said the future is in our hands, yet our hands are tied behind our backs. When we’re crossing milestones, it applauds us, but suddenly, mysteriously, we’re “crossing limits”, and it becomes orange-faced, spluttering with rage. (Why, I thought only a certain former US president had exclusive rights to that reaction.)
The India I dream of is one without contradictions, where what is on paper is in practice. The India I dream of lets me fly without watching over my shoulder. Where people don’t laugh at sexist, hom*ophobic jokes and look the other way at the mention of accountability. Above all, it is a home, which lets me dream of a future without fear.
Rupsa Dasgupta | Physics Major, St Xavier’s College, Mumbai
7/29
India is a country of abundance—of cultures, languages and love. I grew up in an India that exudes brilliance, that excuses mistakes and that exercises pride in humility. But growing up I realised, ‘your India’ and ‘my India’ are different. There is a different India whose importance transcends that of my privileged India. There is an India full of pain, that doesn’t let you be you, where your worth is realised every five years. It is an India of hardship. And then there is an idea of a new India where bigotry rules over humanity, where majoritarianism is pampered and the marginalised are further isolated.
At the same time, there’s an India of hope where communities are stronger than predatory leaders. There is an India built on ties that go beyond caste, creed or religion, a nation that has an unflinching spirit and tenacity. This is the India we’ll proudly call truly incredible.
Shashwat Raut | Arts graduate, St Xavier’s College, Mumbai
8/29
Schitt’s Creek was a show that really opened my eyes to the way the LGBTQ community should be perceived. In India, we have made slow progress towards accepting the community. In the name of acceptance, the lives and struggles of those who identify as ‘queer’ are mocked as entertainment. As we shifted online during the pandemic, it became easy for people to open up about their struggles. Articles and videos, even things like putting one’s preferred pronoun on public platforms, helped create safe spaces. There have been shows that have tried to eradicate the idea of hom*ophobia. This is the kind of future I hope for—where we completely eradicate hom*ophobia and queerphobia. While this is still a utopian dream, which would require years of learning and unlearning, we can start by being aware of and sensitive to the community and by providing platforms to queer people across all fields.
Prish*ta Kulkarni | Architecture, School of Environment & Architecture, Mumbai
9/29
We need a country where we address topics like sexuality or the issues of marginalised communities with sensitivity; where the issues of caste biases will be addressed with care because everyone will be friends who fight, argue but connect. We need to bargain and negotiate and not reduce anything to a binary. A nuanced country adapting to the contemporary times and borrowing from history will indeed shape India into a sustainable nation.
Eesha Pethe | Architecture, University of Mumbai
10/29
Young Indians have high aspirations. They are empowered to demand change as access to the Internet and technology improves. The Internet and smartphones have reduced the information gap between urban and rural Indians. Both public and private sectors must collaborate to adapt business strategies and product/ service offerings for consumers. In the coming decade, India will offer a plethora of commercial options. If investment in education, healthcare, research and development and infrastructure expands in sync with current growth, the changes in the consumer’s income and predilection for consumption will provide several possibilities.
Manan Jindal | BTech Computer Science and Engineering, NIIT University, Manesar
11/29
India, a country known for its beauty and diversity, still surprises me when it labels its backward beliefs as “India’s culture”. India still judges women on their choice of attire. The notion of a ‘perfect Indian woman’ is rooted in a pre-Independence point of view. An unmarried woman is deemed ‘unsuccessful’, no matter how much she has achieved in her career. And a woman who gets married is expected to give up everything to focus on “raising a family”. In India we are more focused on telling women how they should behave rather than guiding them towards their dreams. We call ourselves a ‘modern country’, but that applies only to men. Here, we love victim blaming and shaming and coming up with solutions to prevent crimes rather than punishing the criminals. India, a country with so much potential, is being held back by its own beliefs. We can grow as a superpower in the future, but only if our mindset grows too.
Sukanya | BCom, BHS College, Bengaluru
12/29
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had famously said, ‘A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new—when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance’. The virus played this role. Maybe some things become historic with time, like Covid-19, which has become nothing less than a historic disaster—a time when the whole world was locked inside homes. However, when a few doors are closed, new ones are automatically opened. The lockdown resulted in world digitisation in just a few months. The pandemic accelerated the digitisation of the economy, and digital infrastructure is the bedrock of this change.
Everything went online—from education and business to even parties—bringing with it the potential for our nation to grow. The fast-emerging business in cloud storage, artificial intelligence, cyber security and many more technologies proves this. The next several years will determine India’s ability to boost employment and reclaim its status as one of the world’s fastest growing big economies. When the world thinks ‘digital’, it should think ‘India’.
Aashna Jain | MBA, Amity Business School, Amity University, Noida
13/29
My vision for the India of tomorrow is a land without violence and terror, where the youth are not compelled to take up a life of crime because of poverty. I dream of a country with safe borders so that our soldiers don’t have to sacrifice their lives and stay away from their families on festivals.
I visualise a country which is safe for women so that parents don’t have to pull their daughters back from achieving their dreams. Today, women match men in all professions but parents worry about their daughters being out till late. If we have a swift and stringent system of justice, crimes against women will reduce.
I want an India where every child can go to school, irrespective of poverty and geography. A country where everyone is valued and people aren’t judged by their profession or social and economic status.
Gayatri Reddy | Nursing, Nath Pai College of Nursing, Kudal, Maharashtra
14/29
For the most part of my life, I was a starry-eyed young girl who strongly believed that ‘India is the best’ and that it is progressing towards being a global superpower. While that is partly true, my education in development studies has given me a new outlook, a rather cynical one. So, I went from being blindly optimistic to openly pessimistic. And now I have a problem with everything. Or so I like to joke.
India is a land of diversity, culture, resources and has the potential to achieve greatness, but suffers setbacks in politics, policy implementation and mindsets. Nevertheless, I see a future for India where development is intersectional, depoliticised, constant, and, let’s not forget, sustainable! One with a population above subsistence levels leading dignified lives. An India that is like a romantic partner: flexible, understanding and open to change.
Aditi Apparaju | MA, Development Studies, Institute of Development Studies, Sussex, UK
15/29
I dream of an India where every child goes to school.
A dream where every person has a job,
A dream where the crime rates have dropped to zero,
A dream where there is love among all Indians,
A dream where people reside in nurturing abodes, not slums,
A dream with no beggars on the streets,
A dream where India is the most powerful nation in the world,
A dream where people don’t quit India but instead ‘Make in India’.
A dream where people are not hungry for power but hungry to work for the people of India,
A dream where India is safe for women and children,
A dream where India is the most beautiful country,
A dream where we don’t fight for territories,
A dream where every Indian shouts at the top of their voice, ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’.
Mayank Kumar | BTech Computer Science Engineering KIIT University, Bhubaneswar
16/29
My country is one of the most diverse in the world, filled with a variety of cultures, traditions, and more than 19,500 spoken languages. This diversity has enriched me with new perspectives and opinions. India has shown me that one can have their ups but also their downs, just like eating golgappa at a street vendor’s stall and then coming home to eat baingan ka bharta for dinner. Just like travelling from the top of the country to the bottom, experiencing the snow and the mountains and then the sun and the beaches. My country is a small world in itself.
I believe that as a result of this diversity, India is a slow yet fast-developing country in different ways. The way that people are evolving and inculcating western culture is rapid but at the same time keeping in mind age-old traditions and following them has helped them maintain a balance. Overall, I believe India will become one of the most famous, balanced and welcoming countries in the future, inviting people from all over the world.
Hannah Raj Babutta | Class 12, Neerja Modi School, Jaipur
17/29
My vision of India is for it to be regarded as a highly developed country rather than a developing one. We are among the top seven countries in terms of GDP, our poverty rates have been falling and our achievements are being globally recognised. However, we still lack the confidence to see ourselves as a developed nation. Here’s why: people here are obsessed with foreign goods; everyone wants foreign technology, even foreign shirts. We have heard it often, that self-respect comes from self-reliance. I want to live in an India that is self-reliant.
The media in India is so negative—only the deaths, terrorism, crimes and scams make headlines, while all the breaking news, achievements and strengths are buried among other news. We are a great nation and the people of India need to be aware of their successes. I want to live in an India where people wake up and recognise India’s strengths instead of reading negative headlines.
My vision is to see India as a developed, self-reliant and self-assured nation.
Dhiren Reddy | Management Studies, Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies, Pune
18/29
I dream of an India where every student has access to quality education. The kind of education that ensures children look beyond shallow boundaries among fellow beings and follow ethical paths. India’s funding should incline towards R&D, manufacturing and technology to enable the youth to innovate at par with technically advanced countries. Similarly, I dream that the deserving get a chance to lead and are not left behind due to reservation or evil corrupt forces. I visualise India winning medals at the Olympics and not just cricket world cups. Someday, I wish to make everyone aware of their environmental responsibilities by reducing our carbon footprint. But, alas, my dream can be a reality only when my countrymen push themselves to think and act rationally, without differentiating on meaningless boundaries.
Sudeshna Dutta | BTech Electronics, KIIT, Bhubaneswar
19/29
India’s strength is its rich history and how it stops at nothing to create more;
India’s strength is its diversity, which is both cultural and geographical;
India’s strength is its defence forces that can shake its enemy to the core;
India’s strength is how it endures hardships like none other and despite everything stands tall knowing that its people are always ready to catch her if she ever falls;
India’s strength is its youth who are willing to fight for what is right, stopping at nothing to create a space where every life matters;
India’s strength is the beautiful minds that it houses that will stop at nothing to make their motherland proud.
And...
My view of India and its future is one where we bring all these strengths together and prosper together as a nation and continue to create history.
Mihika Mukherjee | BA LLB (Hons), BML Munjal University, Haryana
20/29
Friends, Indians, countrymen, lend me your ears,
Yes, you too, the one in the ‘I love NYC’ shirt.
India needs your voices to be heard,
To prove its mettle, its very worth.
The saffron, white and green lace outer space,
Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan and maybe Brahaspatiyaan too.
But astronauts won’t be the only ones wearing space helmets.
India, the land of unity in diversity,
With different languages and cultures.
There’s diversity even in the animals we fight for,
Cows, pigs or buffaloes? It’s a whole lot of fun.
This is an India with many triumphs,
But we can’t mend shortcomings while making a fuss.
So, let’s come together,
And make this our India—the story of us.
Shyla Upadhyay | Vasant Valley School, Delhi
21/29
In many respects, my idea of India’s future reflects the India of the past. One in which the country’s genuine potential, its resources and people are recognised, valued and appreciated. An India that is at the forefront of environmental, cultural and archaeological conservation on a global scale. An India that appreciates its diversity’s aesthetic beauty and where progress and expansion do not compete with nature, rather complement it. An India where there is a deliberate and well-thought out attempt to narrow financial disparities and unproductive goals. My most fervent wish is for an India where every child is safeguarded and where every woman reaches her full potential in the company of a supportive community.
Kashish Mathur | BA LLB (Hons), Amity Law School, Noida
22/29
My dream of India; such a fantastic idea to ruminate on. It is necessary too, for the young are to soon run this nation, making it infinitely important to dream of what we shall construct. As one of that generation, I too visualise my India, where the marble floor of shrines are sacred, and so is all the land, water and air. I yearn for an India where the bovine are divine and so are all other flora and fauna. I wish to see the India where the elite are respected, but so are the ragged vagrants.
How about an India where there are massive fights, but only in blockbuster ‘Bolly flicks?’ Not to mention an India that is divided, but only on who will win the IPL. Funnily enough, the India I want is already here, a few pieces of the beautiful puzzle are all that’s missing.
Riddhiman Ganguly | St Claret School, Kolkata
23/29
India has a population of nearly 1.5 billion. With that comes an equal number of perspectives. There are ‘uncles’ in parks who have an opinion on everything without really knowing the ground realities. Their opinions are stated to make themselves sound cool, a little like what we did back in school. The need of the hour is to create an environment where those who are usually left unheard also get an ear, and even the less popular opinions are given a hearing—something that seems to be missing lately in the way we communicate with each other. An India of the future should be more aware, more open-minded and more considerate of the underprivileged. The ‘uncles’ need to get their act together.
Srijan Sharma | Aspiring law student, Raipur, Chhattisgarh
24/29
India is a land of diversity which makes the country a land of limitless potential. The strength of India lies in the celebration and nurturing of these diversities. It opens windows of multiple opportunities. I want my India to recognise and encourage every voice with a new seed of thought instead of getting divided between the Right and the Left. In my vision of India, there is no place for majoritarian oppression or minority appeasem*nt. When a billion minds unite to learn and draw strength from each other instead of highlighting these differences, no power on earth will be able to stop India from achieving its rightful place in the universe.
Hirak Patowary | MA History, Cotton University, Guwahati
25/29
I dream of an India where equal opportunities for all citizens exist in an environment of communal harmony. My India should have adequate employment opportunities for the youth. Quality education should be accessible and affordable to all. This will ensure that the best human resources of India don’t migrate to developed countries. I aspire for an upward growth curve for India’s economy propelled by sustainable development for future generations. I expect a nation with diligent enforcement of law and order. And finally, with rising pollution, I demand the right to breathe clean air for every Indian. For all these to happen, we need better socio-economic infrastructure and policy implementation.
Shubham Gupta | BCom (Hons), Hansraj College, Delhi
26/29
We see India divided on matters of religion, caste or politics, but I also see India divided when it comes to food—vegetarians and non-vegetarians. The idea of sustainable eating takes away from the fact that food is politics out here. Contrary to popular belief, meat is an affordable staple for communities and it sustains their livelihood. So, when your friend tells you about a trending internet diet for its sustainability, it’s important to know that eating meat is as ethical as anything else. We have had our tryst with some myths about our country—that we’re a land of elephants and snake charmers, that all Indians are poor, etc. Now, here’s a myth that’s much bigger—that India is a vegetarian country! Acceptance of diversity, including food, is my view of India and its future.
Reynaa Azmathulla | International Studies and Journalism, FLAME University, Pune
27/29
I host a travel show along with my brother called Zip Zap Zoom. This gives me the opportunity to travel. Almost all of the Northeast has said no to plastic. I came across villages where trees were worshipped and the greenery was in full bloom. I think if what is in one part of my country is adopted by the whole nation, India will be a paradise on Earth. I believe travel should be an integral part of our education system because travelling is the best teacher. And if our generation learns to respect nature, we will create our own beautiful world— that future that we would want for India.
Manya Varma | C.P. Goenka International School, Mumbai
28/29
India as a country has always fascinated the outside world. I hope India in the future continues to do so, and for good reasons. I hope India is able to acknowledge, appreciate and celebrate the diverse and unique cultures present here, something that has been lacking for a few years now. I hope in the future, India is full of educated people, people who won’t give in to the rhetoric of religion. Last but not the least, I sincerely hope India is able to recognise the sheer volume of corruption which takes place in the largest democracy of the world. If that doesn’t happen, my dream of India will never come true.
Pumdee Gamlin | BA English (Hons), Hansraj College, Delhi
29/29
I would like to see a more inclusive India, which is safe and offers dignity to every individual. It is important to see which areas can be immediately improved. For example, women’s safety—how often do we hear those in power talking about this issue? It took India five years to sentence to death people who were 100 per cent culprits of a heinous crime like rape. With stricter laws and better implementation, this can change drastically.
The safety of non-binary or transgender groups is another issue. The social acceptance of these groups still seems a far-fetched idea, despite us living in a county where the majority of the population worships the gender fluid Lord Shiva.
