Today, India completes 75 years of independence—a joyous occasion that the entire country is celebrating together by hoisting the national flag in all its glory. As much as this is a day to seek pride in the country's development and growth, it is also the right time to ponder the future course of action and the change we seek in the coming years. Five young pathbreakers from Delhi-NCR share their vision of India’s future and the change they envision in their respective fields in the next 25 years—the centenary of the country’s independence.
BEYOND STIGMA AND TABOO
In 25 years, I want India to be a nation that embraces equality, eliminates stigma, and encourages the youth to take the lead. The country should be a safe space for every community. Providing education about topics, which we as a society ignore, is also a very important step that we need to take. We need to focus on issues such as mental health, bullying, gender equality, and stress management, and that is when we will grow together as a society. I believe that the country is already evolving in these realms, and I look forward to the change.
--Palakh Khanna, 19, founder, of Break The Ice, a youth organisation that spreads information on social taboos
TOWARDS A GREEN FUTURE
Young people have led change in almost every field throughout history. And today, when the world continues to change rapidly and poses extraordinary challenges, India has immense untapped potential. We are emerging as the largest youth population that history has ever witnessed. This is the time to recognise the role of young people in boosting our economic and social development and creating an environment where every young person has the hope and ability to lead change. Furthermore, as an advocate for climate action, I dream for India to be a nation where everyone adopts the ‘LIFE’ (Lifestyle for Environment) mantra given by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A key tool in expanding the constituency for the environmental movement, it is essential to understand that change starts with us.
--Aniket Gupta, 20, environmentalist
RACE TO THE TOP
In the next 25 years, I see my country rise as a global superpower. I feel that not only India will rise to become a hub of research, technology, manufacturing, and agriculture, but also a symbol of diversity, inclusion, and equity. The rising wave of entrepreneurship and start-ups will empower the country's youth population. In the coming years, I believe that we should also bridge the distance between rural and urban India. Cultural arts will flourish. It will be the beginning of the Indian revolution, and a race to dominate the 22nd Century.
- Parth Puri, 17, co-founder, of Tyron, an eco-friendly footwear brand
EMBRACING INCLUSIVITY
Today, I would like to highlight how far we have come as a nation in terms of LGBTQ+ rights. After the landmark judgment of 2018, I feel we have seen so much more representation around us, especially on social media. New conversations have started and awareness is growing. However, we still have a long way to go in terms of legal marriage rights and rights for transgender and gender non-conforming people in this country. I hope in the next 25 years, we can overcome the legal barriers that restrict the people of the LGBTQ+ community, and also work on building acceptance in this country so that no queer child or adult has to face bullying or harassment in any form.
- Sanat Chadha, 18, creator and artist
A BOOST TO PERFORMING ARTS
In the next 25 years, I see the country prosper and grow with values of diversity and equality taking the lead. As a classical singer, I want creativity to be valued in the music industry in the coming years. In the last few years, plagiarism has been taking place and unique compositions are not given the space they deserve. I would want that to change. In the coming years, I look forward to more young individuals joining the industry. I also feel that we are going back to folk music, which is a positive trend that will continue to grow.
- Maithili Thakur, 22, classical singer