A dear friend forwarded a video this morning. It was about a girl interviewing random people in Delhi about the current situation there. Though everyone in the video was aware of the ongoing turbulence, but no one actually knew what the protest was all about. As a matter of fact none could identify a certain personality, who was apparently a  convicted terrorist, eventually executed for his activities. When I watched the video again, I observed that most of the people interviewed were teenagers, “The Youth”. These teenagers have limited focus and their interest lies mostly in things which give adrenaline rush.It is said that youth are the future of India, but I must say that they are completely misguided in present scenario. Indian youth are highly influenced by electronic media. Media these days has remarkable talent to intertwine an established fact with a blatant lie to present a self baked misleading statement that at best, only serves their personal and political agenda. Hence they become soft targets of people trying to harm national interest. These young innocent minds can be easily manipulated and provoked.

As a citizen and as parents it is our duty to direct the youth through proper communication and channelizing their potential energy in right direction. Books have thousands of years of wisdom in them. They make the character of man who is the strength of a nation. It would be a mistake to underestimate the positive power of books. They can be a rewarding source of escapism when events in the real world are too hard to bear. Children learn valuable lessons about different cultures and histories. Identification with literary characters enables the development of empathy and understanding. Such traits are of vital importance for the unification of ethnically diverse communities such as in our country. People who read from an early age develop passion for learning and a curiosity for the everyday wonders of life. They are able to adapt better to the situations and come through the tough times.

A positive, learned and focused youth is what India needs today. A youth who can not be taken for ride by anyone with hidden motives; and a youth who embraces diverse opinions, without being judgemental.