Christina Dhanaraj
According to the United Nations, 90% of the world’s youth, between ages 10 to 24, live in developing countries. India alone accounted for 356 million in 2014, second only to China. In 2023, we can assume that this number has only become higher, and that too in a world that is so much more connected. India has over 900 million internet subscribers, and the youth constitute the largest chunk of the consumer base. They are connected to the world and each other more than ever. But an increase in digital connectivity doesn’t necessarily translate into an increase in human connectedness.
Like the United States, India ranks high on the Fragile States Index. However, The Wire reports that, “the US still has the rule of law, independent institutions, and a working opposition while they are almost nonexistent in India.” This means that India cannot afford to stay on its path of increasing polarization, which undoubtedly will result in a future that is underdeveloped, divisive, and unequal.
How do India’s youth respond in such a context? What leadership models do they follow towards building a progressive world? How do they make better decisions and reasonable choices that are not individualistic but community-oriented? How can institutions help in supporting youth leaders?
Youth Leadership that is diverse and inclusive:
More than ever, India needs its youth to value diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI). Not only because institutions across the world are adopting newer DEI strategies but also because young leaders of today are the ones who will become responsible for dismantling the systemic inequities of tomorrow. My time at the Student Christian Movement (SCM) had a profound impact on my perspectives towards social justice, so much so that being passionate about DEI became a habit. Trusting myself and other leaders from marginalized communities by rejecting stereotypes and creating conducive environments for our growth and progress became a learning for life.
In retrospect, I believe what was truly interventional was the opportunity that my peers and I had in reflecting, debating, and deliberating on social issues that were relevant to our context. My political consciousness around caste, for example, began when SCM leaders opened a dialogue on identity and from thereon, self-determination. This helped me contextualize my personal social location and enabled me to critically examine the society I was living in. It further led me to kick start difficult conversations with my peers, my family, and my community. Almost two decades later, we live in a world where people are becoming increasingly self-aware of their identity by virtue of their social and gender locations, and so it is crucial that the youth to today be given the required cultural, social, and political skills to become leaders who proactively seek diversity in their personal and professional lives, and establish newer ways to be inclusive.
Youth Leadership that is institutionally supported:
India’s youth live in a rapidly developing economy that brings with it several challenges, both old and new. Caste, class, and gender hierarchies continue to wreak havoc in the lives of many, while concerns around climate change, technology, and security are looming on the horizon. This has invariably created a mesh of intersecting marginalizations, the worst victims of which are poor and caste-oppressed individuals belonging to gender and sexual minorities.
The NCRB reports that in 2020, around 8.2% of students died by suicide in India. More recently, referring to the death of Darshan Solanki, a first year Bachelors degree student at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, Chief Justice Chandrachud remarked that most students who die by suicide belong to Dalit and Adivasi communities. This is an unacceptable statistic.
Institutions, including churches, governments, universities, workplaces, and organizations must create and sustain environments that are safe for caste-oppressed youth and free from discrimination. Only then can we envision our young leaders to be successful and proficient in their pursuits. We also need well-crafted youth development programs that take into account social contexts mired with stigmas around affirmative action, evolving perspectives on gender and sexual orientations, the varied forms of disabilities, and personal competencies. Additionally, these programs must include caste-oppressed youth in their decision-making processes. For instance, in demand to the growing number of SC/ST student suicides, institutions must set up task forces led by SC/ST students to devise structures that keep students’ physical, emotional, and mental safety as the priority.
Youth Leadership that is rooted in communities:
Community support and involvement is key for effective youth leadership, regardless of whether the latter is realized in the context of their own personal development or of the society. In 1992, the Carnegie Corporation of New York released a report that listed the general needs of adolescents. These include, as reported in the Journal of Leadership Education, socializing with peers and adults, developing critical skills, contributing to the community, belonging to a valued group, and extending feelings of competency. One can assume that for today’s youth, this list would more or less hold true, and that community still plays a crucial role in influencing their confidence, motivation, and choices.
Strong relationships with adult mentors and leaders in the community, for example, can be a vital stepping stone for young leaders, who will have the opportunity to hone their technical and communication skills, sharpen their perspectives on social issues, find opportunities, and build social capital. This is particularly true for caste-oppressed youth, who don’t always come with the privilege of networks, which in the real world matters more than it should.
Communities should also empower its youth to learn, knowledge share, and lead. The Dalit history month project, which I co-founded along with other Dalit feminists in 2015, is a great example of how it provided an opportunity for young Dalit leaders. Initially designed by just a few of us, it quickly became a celebratory, collaborative project taken up by many young Dalit women, men, and queer people across the country. And in the last 8 years, young leaders, both Dalits and allies, have been able to reflect on their own ancestral histories and become inspired to do the right thing.
In all, what we must work towards, particularly as adults, is a society where young leaders are empowered to advocate for themselves and their communities, where they are enabled to make the right decisions, and ultimately build a better world for those who come after them.
(Christina Dhanaraj (She/Her) is a writer, with more than a decade of corporate work experience in India, Singapore, China, and the Netherlands. She is the co-founder of the Dalit History Month project and has published works on intersectional discourses between caste, gender, religion, race, and sexuality. She is currently a consultant for corporates and non-profits, advising on communications, organizational strategy, and caste-based diversity, equity, & inclusion. She is the convenor for the Global Campaign for Dalit Women and is working on her first non-fiction on Dalit women and the fullness of life.)
