I read an article in a newspaper recently
in which it was said that only the Indian youth can change the country. My own
view is as follows :
It is true that generally youth have more idealism than older people, and
therefore they can do much for the country. However there are two caveats :
(1) All youth do not have the same thinking. While some have scientific,
analytical, modern minds, others are superficial, and some even reactionary.
While some are patriotic, others are selfish and think only for themselves. So
to lump all youth together in the same category would not be correct.
(2) An old person can be young mentally, and conversely, a physically young
person can be old mentally. So it is not just one's physical condition which
makes a person young, it has more to do with his mind.
Indian youth must develop the scientific temper, they must rationally
analyse and discuss social and public issues before forming an opinion, which I
regret many do not do.
It is science which is the solution to the country's real
problems,massive poverty, unemployment, price rise, corruption, lack of
healthcare and good education for the masses, etc. Unless we spread science to
every nook and corner of our country and get rid of backward feudal ideas and
practices like casteism, communalism and superstitions (like astrology and
faith in 'Babas'), we can never solve our massive problems
By science I do not mean Physics, Chemistry, Biology alone. I mean the
entire scientific outlook. By being modern I do not mean wearing a nice shirt
or tie or suit, or a pretty sari or jeans or skirt. By being modern I mean
developing a modern mind, which means a rational mind, a scientific mind, an
analytical mind, a questioning mind.
Our ancestors were great because they questioned everything, like the ancient
Greeks (see the works of Aryabhatta, Brahmagupta, Bhaskar, Charak, Sushrut,
Panini, Patanjali, etc). These works were all in Sanskrit, and Sanskrit was the
language of freethinkers who questioned everything (it was wrongly depicted as
a language of rituals and chanting mantras alone).
Today our country is facing massive problems, as mentioned above. Our
youth can play a great historical role in solving these problems and making
India prosperous with everyone having a decent life, but for that our youth
must develop logical, scientific and questioning minds.
I am confident that they will do their patriotic duty to the country.
