Jan 12, 2023 . Read 5 min
National Youth Day: It’s all in the mind
Team Vedanta
January 12 is commemorated as the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, who is regarded as one of history's greatest philosophers and spiritual figures. Due to his significant contributions and reason to inspire the youth, his birthday is celebrated as National Youth Day every year since 1984, in India. This day, since years has brought forward an opportunity for everyone to realize that all living beings have within them the potential and power to create a world that is empowering not only for themselves but also for the environment, at a larger level. The convictions and disciplines of Swami Vivekananda imbibe in us a strong sense of understanding that to be called a youth, to feel youthful and to practice youthfulness has very minimal to do with age, strata, or numerous other factors. It rather is all in the mind.
A youth sitting in the most remote location of the country with limited access to the necessities of life and still accomplishing his dreams and aspirations is a huge change maker for himself and the nation at large. It is the result of his perseverance and the power of his mind. An 80-year-old woman who is as fit and healthy as an individual half her age is no less than a youth. What matters here is the wisdom, the mindset, and the determination to keep going and actively in the right direction. The 30-year-old youth who dropped his flourishing career to support the disproportionately hurt marginalized communities, the lower middle class and the daily wage earners who were hit by the COVID impact is the potential youth that the world needs. It would be his pure grit and passion that brought him to support such a population.
To start by yourself is all in the mind and a drop in the ocean is what they say is enough to bring about a change. That’s exactly what Vedanta’s flagship social impact project, Nand Ghar, has been doing for years now. These Nand Ghars are instrumental in developing skills through trade-based skill development training for young women across various villages in India to create future entrepreneurs. To empower them, the model provides feasible livelihood opportunities along with financial literacy and business development. Inspiring young woman like Rampati who received training from Nand Ghar, today supports her family through Zari work. Another such motivating story is that of a financially distressed Seema Bunker who has been trained in stitching and tailoring at Nand Ghar, is not only fulfilling her family’s needs but also experiencing overall growth and development.
With such miniscule yet strong steps towards creation of financial independence, the Nand Ghars and these young women have set an example of being the change leaders and become a source of inspiration for many others. National Youth Day is hence a knock at the doors of our minds to be the change that we wish to be and once this is done, the rest shall naturally follow.
Our world today experiences a lot of adversities. It is the need of the hour that we amalgamate the teachings and vision of our leaders and ancestors with our own knowledge and experiences to produce positive as well as sustainable results. This agglomerate from all aspects shall make our world a better place to live in and this shall gradually result in each day being a Youth Day #ForABetterKal.
