Why I am so excited about India’s future – the kids are coming
Most of us have woken up all sad and glum after yesterday’s heart break. Enough has been written and said about it. So I am not going to add to the gloom. I want to share something which might bring a little cheer to you.
Two days back, I had the opportunity to be a judge for the finale of an all India school level entrepreneurship contest. It was a a big eye opener for me and made me realise a lot of things.
👉I know lots of kids and know that they have great exposure and are much smarter than what we were at their age. And yet these kids blew my mind away. Some had raised funding also. The best part was that most of them came from small towns. Bhatinda, Karimnagar, Aurangabad and Vishakhpatnam. Made me feel so good about our country. These kids will take india to another level
👉 The types of problem these young entrepreneurs were trying to solve also gladdened my heart. Real problems of India. Agriculture, healthcare, waste disposal, biodegradable plastic etc etc. These children were so much more aware and concerned about the environment. Our future as a country is very bright when we have such brilliant and enterprising kids waiting in the wings. We will overcome all our problems.
👉 The govt and semi-govt and educational institutions are doing a decent job to encourage and support these budding entrepreneurs. Heard a new term called B2G. Business to government. Many of these startups have got their early proof of concept and traction working with the government.
👉You also realised what the kids lack. Especially the ones who come from small towns. They had many strengths but lacked the knowhow of some very basic things. Anybody with reasonable corporate experience could mentor them and easily solve for these shortcomings. There is a need for a platform which can connect these startups with people from the industry. I am confident that there are enough people in this country who will be willing to contribute with their time and knowledge.
👉One input for the education system. The one thing which can be a force multiplier for these kids is communication. Just teaching English is not enough. We need to teach effective communication. It will come with lots of practise. But on second thoughts, I am not sure how the schools will do it. We don’t have enough skilled teachers for the millions of kids in this country. I wonder if the advancements in AI can solve this problem. I hope someone builds this soon.
⭐️ The intelligence of these kids also made me realise the diminishing relevance of my own intelligence in today’s day and age. Reminded me that I should embrace the decline of my fluid intelligence and the advent of my crystallised intelligence period. (Refer to Arthur C Brooks’ book – From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life https://lnkd.in/dD8SU--5. )
So my dear friends. Don’t lose heart. The present is painful. But India is in great hands and the future is great.
