- 2 days ago
In a special roundtable discussion ahead of Independence Day, young voices from across the country explored what freedom means to Generation Z, sharing perspectives on identity, opportunities, rights, responsibilities and their aspirations for India's future.
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00:13Over 50% of Indians are under 30, 38 crore Gen Z population,
00:24digital natives born in the information age, 36% of Gen Z will be part of the workforce
00:34by 2030, they are India's powerhouse for the future.
00:48What does freedom mean for the young?
00:51It's the Independence Day Gen Z Roundtable with Rajdeep Sathir.
01:00Hello and welcome to this Independence Day special roundtable.
01:05As India celebrates its 80th Independence Day, the country is younger than ever before.
01:12Nearly 50% of this country's population is under the age of 30.
01:18And it is that demographic cohort that may well be changing long-held assumptions
01:25about just what the idea of India is and plenty more.
01:32What does Independence Day then mean for India's Gen Next or Gen Z,
01:37as they've been called in the last few months, suddenly, squarely in the focus.
01:44Which is why in this 2026 Independence Day special,
01:48we thought we would look at Independence Day and what it means for India's young and restless.
01:56On the show today, we brought some fine young minds from Delhi University
02:01and we want them to speak as clearly as they wish.
02:06This is supposedly the fearless generation.
02:09Well, we are going to wait and see how that plays out.
02:11I'm going to ask each of you to introduce yourselves.
02:14Starting with you, Madhav, on my extreme right. Go ahead.
02:18Hi, I'm Madhav. I am a student of St. Stephen's College
02:21and I'm from the Department of History and Political Science.
02:24And you come from Merit?
02:25I do.
02:25Okay.
02:27Hi, I'm Sanya.
02:28I also come from St. Stephen's College.
02:30I'm in my third year.
02:32I come from BA program, History and Political Science.
02:35And I'm based off in Ahmedabad.
02:37You're originally from Ahmedabad.
02:39That's your home.
02:39Okay.
02:40My next guest.
02:41Hello.
02:41I am Nitin Gupta.
02:42I am from Hindu College, Delhi University.
02:45And I am from Sociology Department.
02:47I am from Rajori, Jammu and Kashmir.
02:50Rajori in Jammu and Kashmir.
02:52Interesting.
02:53Yes, sir.
02:53Yeah.
02:53Hi, myself, Shivan.
02:54I am from Hindu College, first year student, BA, Honor, Sociology.
02:59And I am from, basically, I'm a Kashmiri Pandit.
03:01So, I am from Kashmir.
03:03Okay.
03:04So, this is Harsh.
03:06I am hailing from Maharaj Gunj, near the Gorakhpur city of Uttar Pradesh.
03:10And I was from Shriram College of Commerce.
03:13So, yes.
03:15So, I was pursuing my BCom Honors from there.
03:18SRCC.
03:18Okay.
03:19Yes.
03:19Hello, sir.
03:20I am Omang.
03:21And I am from Odisha.
03:23Currently, I am pursuing Sociology Honors.
03:25And I am a first year student at Hindu College, Delhi University.
03:28Okay.
03:28Good.
03:28Good to have all of you here.
03:30There will be those, of course, who will say we needed to be more representative, more
03:33representatives from the South and other parts, religious denominations, caste.
03:37We hope that, in a sense, our cohort here will reflect some of those concerns as well.
03:44But I want to start with the first big question to the young today.
03:49What does freedom mean for you?
03:5280th year Independence Day.
03:54We've entered 80 years since that famous midnight hour of 1947.
03:59What does freedom mean for you?
04:01I'm going to give the girls the chance first.
04:03This is the age of the Mahila.
04:04Why don't you start?
04:06So, for me, freedom is not just a word in the Constitution that was there.
04:12For me, freedom means a lot of other things, right?
04:15One of the biggest things is that we need to have freedom from fear.
04:19This idea that you cannot speak up.
04:22You know, you cannot raise your voice or you cannot demand what is right and what is needed.
04:27You know, very basic things.
04:29Freedom from polluted air.
04:31Freedom to have proper food or freedom to have accessible education and healthcare.
04:37I feel like even today, 80 years after independence, we have problems with the most basic things that are present
04:45right now.
04:46So, we need to have freedom from all these inhibitions, all these fears.
04:52Because you said freedom from fear, Sanya.
04:54What do you mean?
04:54Are you saying that you're fearful of speaking your mind out?
04:58Do you believe there's someone out there who's monitoring what you're saying?
05:02Are you anti-national if you say something that someone doesn't like?
05:05Is that a genuine fear on the campuses?
05:08I think that is.
05:09And I really think that is true because today what is happening is there is extreme surveillance.
05:15There are questions on your identity, on whether you are an Indian when you go ahead and ask these questions.
05:22So, even campuses today have been highly, you know, institutionalized in that way.
05:28And I think we need to see that we can speak up despite all these barriers that are present today.
05:35And I think this generation has that spine.
05:37We have seen recently whatever has been happening.
05:40And there is a great political consciousness which has awakened.
05:44And I think we need to continue that in the future.
05:47And I think that really means what freedom is then.
05:50Okay.
05:50I'm going to ask you, where do you get this political consciousness from?
05:54Is it from Instagram?
05:55Or is it, you know, there's a lot of debate on that.
05:58Who wants to challenge her?
05:59She says there's freedom.
06:00There's, you know, there's a sense of fear for speaking out on issues.
06:05Do you feel that or do you disagree?
06:07How many of you agree with her?
06:08How many disagree?
06:09Sir, I disagree.
06:10You disagree?
06:11Yes.
06:11You don't see any fear factor at all?
06:15No, sir.
06:15For me, I don't see any fear factor.
06:18It's just that freedom for me is being open to do everything.
06:23Right.
06:23Freedom is accessibility for me.
06:25Having the accessibility to have basic education, to have the basic health rights, to have the basic rights as a
06:32human being.
06:33So, for me, it's the accessibility.
06:34And there is no such fear.
06:36But is there equal opportunity?
06:37When you say accessibility, do you have equal opportunity?
06:40You're from Odisha.
06:41Yes, sir.
06:42I mean, do you feel as someone who's come from Odisha now to the national capital, do you have to
06:46say you've come from Kashmir?
06:47Do you have the same rights, privileges as someone who might live in the national capital, depending on your income
06:53level?
06:54As I said, we do not have a Dalit or a Muslim on this show.
06:58But do you believe everyone has equal opportunity or not?
07:03Sir, nothing is absolute in the society.
07:05There may be a section who basically get rights and there is still a section, a marginalized section, who don't
07:11have the right to speak up, to present their point of view.
07:15So, I think nothing is, we can't say that whether we have freedom or not, because nothing is absolute.
07:21Some people get the opportunity, while others lack.
07:23And we need to focus on the people who are lacking the opportunity.
07:26No, but is there fear?
07:27Is there fear?
07:27She says there's fear on the campus.
07:29You say there is nothing like fear.
07:31Yes, sir.
07:31There is a fear, sir.
07:32I would like to share.
07:33Fear about what?
07:34Sir, sir, I would like to share an incident, if you agree, because I belong from a village area.
07:39And once, when I was in grade 10th, I went to a government school.
07:42And what I saw was, there was a, the teacher was using his phone and the girls were sleeping there.
07:49And then I talked to one of my friends in that government school that, why aren't you guys studying?
07:56Then that girl, she mentioned that, umang, they don't teach us.
07:59And she also mentioned that, sir, the funds which the government sent for their, for their growth is basically used
08:07by their PT teacher for her own personal use, sir.
08:10So, I think still there is an hesitation.
08:12There is a, um, there is something which lacks, sir.
08:15So, you think there's a huge gap between studying in a village school in Odisha between, uh, and studying, of
08:21course, in an elite institution in the national capital?
08:24Yes, sir, there is.
08:25Yes, young man, is there fear?
08:26What does freedom mean for you all?
08:28Yes, sir, I do agree there is fear that the recent case of Nal Saar, just yesterday only, that Nal
08:34Saar people.
08:34But if, if someone is, uh, showing dissent and if someone is saying we do not have anything, anything to
08:40do with the post, but we have to do something with the person that is not handling something very rightly.
08:45Let me explain the Nal Saar story to our viewers.
08:47This is one of India's leading, uh, colleges, law colleges.
08:50Some students were objecting to the presence of the Chief Justice of India at their convocation.
08:57And, uh, the Bar Council of India chairman said they should be debarred from being registered.
09:02The blowback eventually led to a reversal of the decision.
09:05So, it's something like that that troubles you.
09:07Am I correct?
09:08Yes, yes, yes.
09:09So, there is fear.
09:10And for me, the freedom is, like, getting, yes, as she mentioned, getting...
09:13You get free Hindi, English, whatever you're comfortable in.
09:15Yeah, yeah.
09:16So, so, for me, like, uh, uh, uh, uh, anything, like, as she mentioned, ki, accessibility to education, accessibility to
09:23basic, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, needs that a person needs.
09:28So, yeh sari cheezai bhi amare desh me bhausa lag kate.
09:30If we, as she mentioned about the village school.
09:33So, if we go in a, any village of the schools, of, of any, uh, any part of the country,
09:37we do not find the similar situation in that.
09:40So, we can find...
09:40You come from a small town like Maharaj Ganj.
09:42You did your schooling there?
09:43Yes, yes.
09:44Was it a big, big, uh, challenge for you in Maharaj Ganj?
09:48You now, uh, went to SRCC, one of the country's leading colleges.
09:52Yes.
09:52Do you believe it is difficult to make that journey?
09:54Or, you know, if you have done it, why can't others?
09:57So, so...
09:58Tunne to kar diya.
09:58Yes, sir, sir.
09:59But I am the very first from my hometown that made into SRCC.
10:03You're the first from Maharaj Ganj to make into SRCC or from your town?
10:07Yes, yes.
10:08My, from my hometown, I am the very first to make into SRCC.
10:11So, that's a difficult part for everyone as well.
10:14Not, not just SRCC.
10:16You're the first one?
10:17I'm the first one from my place.
10:18I basically belong from Puchinda, Sambalpur.
10:21I'm the first one to get into Hindu from my place too.
10:23Okay.
10:24Yes.
10:25Uh, anyone else?
10:26Freedom from your mother, what does it mean to you?
10:28Your, your, your T-shirt suggests you're chilled out.
10:30So, where is the fear?
10:32Uh, somebody has to chill out.
10:34So, what does freedom mean for you?
10:36Adding to what Sanya said and other people said, freedom from fear is there.
10:40And also, there should be a freedom of choice.
10:43I would like to acknowledge to, uh, by beginning, uh, in the beginning by saying that we also
10:47have to say that the Gen Z of today is not a homogenous group.
10:51Mm-hmm.
10:51As we would, it is highly problematic to say that Gen Z is one group.
10:55We have to acknowledge that there is a, there is an urban Gen Z, there is a rural Gen Z
10:58and
10:58there is also a metropolitan and westernized Gen Z because still 68% of India's youth lives
11:03in villages.
11:04So, the issue of accessibility is certainly there.
11:07And to talk about fear, I think the fear of choice very much exists in this country.
11:13Give me an example.
11:14Give me an example.
11:15When you say there is no freedom of choice, what do you mean?
11:17I, freedom of choice simply means to me that I want to identify the way I can, the way I
11:23want to.
11:24I want to marry who I want, uh, who I want to.
11:27And I want to live where I want to.
11:29I want to profess a particular religion that I want to.
11:31And that fear, sorry, that choice is simply denied to me by multiple laws that are there
11:36out, out there in the past 10 or 12 years in this country.
11:39And in that existing situation, do you think these basic things like freedom of living anywhere,
11:45freedom of professing a religion, do we have to fight on this or do we have to think of
11:49better things that India should be working upon after 80 years of independence?
11:52No, let me push you on that.
11:54When you say, for example, marriage.
11:56Right.
11:56Are you saying that if you wanted to get married to a Muslim girl?
12:00Right, yeah.
12:01Who's stopping you?
12:02Who is stopping you?
12:04Well, there is no law as such that would stop me.
12:07But you think about what's happening in states like Uttarakhand, there's UCC.
12:11And you're making it extremely difficult for people of interfaith lovers to marry to each
12:15other.
12:16Apart from that, LGBTQ rights are still denied in this country.
12:19You can't still marry a person you love.
12:21So, under all these circumstances, I'm saying…
12:23You believe there should be same-sex marriage?
12:25Absolutely.
12:25You should allow same-sex marriage.
12:27You should allow…
12:28And there should be absolutely no concept like love jihad.
12:30No, absolutely not.
12:32No question of a concept like love jihad.
12:34No, yes.
12:38You don't believe in the…
12:39You can't have freedom to marry someone from your…
12:43The idea of same-sex marriage, unacceptable.
12:45Sir, in my opinion, sir, what I'm thinking, because, sir, these are all westernized thoughts.
12:51Sir, our dharmas, our parampras, our rules and regulations, if we follow them from starting
12:57from the beginning, then, sir, India will be standing here today.
13:00But, sir, we have our parampras, our dharmas, our maniyat, our Vedas, and other things.
13:08Sir, we didn't follow, sir.
13:10And what we followed, did not follow.
13:12Yes, and then, some Britishers also came.
13:15Do you think that Hindu-Muslim marriages are okay or not?
13:18No, sir, I am…
13:19You're against it.
13:20Yes, yes, sir.
13:21You're a Kashmiri Pandit.
13:22Yes, sir.
13:22And you're against the idea of a Hindu-Muslim marriage.
13:25Why?
13:25Sir, Hindu-Muslim…
13:26Sir, this is a dharam pariwartan, sir.
13:29If we are a Muslim…
13:31Sir, we are vegetarian, we don't eat non-veg, sir.
13:34If we eat any Muslim, then there are contradictions from our rules and their rules, right?
13:39Our religion and their religion are contradictions.
13:41Okay, who agrees, disagrees with this?
13:43Yes, go ahead.
13:43You're also from Kashmir.
13:45You're from Rajaur.
13:45You agree with what is being said?
13:46Sir, no, sir.
13:47I believe that marriage is a personal right.
13:51And marriage is a right to our constitution, that we can marry someone.
13:56But one thing, we have to keep this thing.
13:58So, if we have to do that, we have to keep this thing.
13:58If we have to keep this thing, it is completely right.
13:59Like we have to keep this thing.
14:01If we have to keep this thing on that religion, if we are to keep this thing on that religion,
14:05we cannot have the duty of our marriage, then it is completely right.
14:09But if it's like the marriage you have force to do that you have a dharam pariwartan,
14:13or your religion change.
14:14That's the wrong thing.
14:16Would you marry a Muslim girl or not?
14:19If you fell in love with her, would you marry it or not?
14:22Would your parents agree with it or not?
14:24Sure.
14:24They would.
14:25But who wants to challenge what was just said?
14:27According to the young man out here, he's saying that, you know, he believes that you've got to…
14:34There are certain… there is a traditions and you've got to maintain those traditions.
14:41Go ahead.
14:42Yes.
14:43Go ahead.
14:43Speak it in English and Hindi mix, but go ahead.
14:46Sir, actually, I want to mention a case here.
14:48Yes.
14:49It is related to UCC only in Goa.
14:51There is a provision in the UCC bill, Uniform Civil Court bill, that if a woman is not able to
14:58give birth to a male child before the age of 30, then the husband has a right to marry a
15:04different woman.
15:04Sir, if you say that Muslims and Hindus cannot marry, and somewhere in our law, like in Goa's example, I
15:12have given this thing exists…
15:14No, if you don't marry…
15:14No, no, no.
15:15Suppose, suppose.
15:16Goa's example…
15:17You're giving the example of Goa.
15:19You're saying that…
15:20It's not systematic.
15:22Marriage rules are not systematic in this country.
15:24How would you justify it?
15:25Do you believe in a uniform?
15:26Should India have a uniform, civil court?
15:28But yes.
15:28Go ahead, young lady.
15:29I think he mentioned about traditions.
15:31He mentioned about paramparaya.
15:34One thing I want to question is, who has made these paramparaya?
15:37Who has made them?
15:38Who has made them?
15:39It is upper-class, upper-class people from like the Hindu belt who have made it, right?
15:45At that time, 4,000 or 5,000 years ago, the paramparaya was made.
15:50How can it happen in today's time?
15:53Time changed so much.
15:55We all changed so much.
15:57And from a particular minority section, who are making a paramparaya, rules are making
16:03today, why are the majority of the people following?
16:07Can I ask across this table, how many of you have any problem with an inter-religious marriage?
16:12Raise your hand.
16:13Hindu-Muslim marriage, you have a problem.
16:14The other five, no problem?
16:16No.
16:16How many of you have a…
16:18You know, since you raised the issue of same-sex marriage, which is not legalized,
16:21how many of you would want it to be legalized, put up your hands?
16:24You want it legalized.
16:25Two?
16:26Okay, four versus two.
16:27You don't want it legalized.
16:29You know, Madhav, you want to respond to this argument being made that there are traditions
16:33in this country.
16:34So, when you say freedom of choice, choice has to be within tradition.
16:38Let's talk about food, for example.
16:39Yeah.
16:39You know, should you be allowed to eat the food of your choice or should the state be
16:45policing what you are having in your kitchen?
16:47I think I would like to answer in the very language of my friend that he chose to say.
16:53He talked about paramparas and traditions and if you want to really follow your paramparas
16:57and traditions and do away with the westernized part, you have to agree to same-sex marriage
17:02and eating non-vegetarian foods even when you are a devout Hindu.
17:06Because it is historically and mythologically very much true that Indian Brahmins and Pandits
17:11and priests in the Vedic period very much ate beef and other kinds of meat also.
17:16And that is totally geographical.
17:17Food is totally geographical and political as well.
17:19Even today, there is a certain caste of Brahmins somewhere in Goa, if I am not wrong, that
17:24still eat meat of some kind.
17:27No, but the point is, what I am trying to get from you is, should India's philosophy in
17:34this 80th year of independence be,
17:36As long as you don't violate the law, allow people the space to live the lives that they
17:43want.
17:44That's what your seeming to suggest.
17:46He is saying there are certain traditions that we need to maintain as a society.
17:50There seems to be this clash in that sense between what he calls westernization.
17:55Correct me if I am wrong, he thinks these are very western ways of looking at India.
17:58Do you agree that these are very western way of looking at India?
18:02Sir, there is also a society decorum.
18:03There is also a society decorum.
18:05There is a standard in which society works.
18:08Like this, sir, sir, at night, sir, the club and parties are also working at night.
18:12There is also westernization.
18:13No, but all of you go to those parties.
18:15No sir, I do not.
18:16You don't go.
18:17You don't go to the parties.
18:18How many of you go to late night parties?
18:20I mean, I am sure you do.
18:21I don't, but I do support parties.
18:22What is wrong in having parties?
18:24Yes sir, we don't.
18:37India must not be drawn on the paper.
18:38India is us.
18:39We are the Indians.
18:41If we are not free, if we cannot choose our lives, we cannot live our lives that we choose.
18:46So, what is India is?
18:49I would like to mention about Gandhi.
18:51Gandhi was the one in India, very first, which I saw, who actually made India to feel the sense of
18:59nationalization, the sense of belongingness.
19:01And then after Gandhi's movement has been started and then everyone took part in it and everyone felt that we
19:09are a collective, we are the part of India.
19:12Now, the same thing is happening, but not at the very same point.
19:16Now, the thing is that they are different and we are different.
19:21On the campus, they are different and we are different.
19:24Yes.
19:24I want to press this point.
19:25As I said, we are an extremely diverse society.
19:27In your campus, you will have Hindu, Muslims, you will have Dalits, you will have Brahmins, you will have Kshatriyas.
19:33Is caste, does caste matter, does community still matter on the campus?
19:37Honest answer.
19:39Are people identified on the base of their caste community?
19:42Yes or no?
19:43Honest answer.
19:43Yes.
19:44Yes, they are.
19:45I actually didn't like realize it from the side of faculties or the departments, but students do themselves.
19:52Like if I am some particular class, I am coming from some particular class, he is coming from some particular
19:58class, she is coming from some particular class.
20:00They might take pride of that class, but our faculties, our department, our institutions…
20:05Is there discrimination on the campus?
20:07Yes or no?
20:08No.
20:09No.
20:09No.
20:10I do feel yes, there is.
20:11You feel that there is discrimination.
20:13Yes.
20:13Against whom?
20:14Yes.
20:15Against everyone.
20:15Like as I mentioned, we can take pride of our particular caste.
20:19In Delhi University, we mostly find if the do so election is coming.
20:24So, last year only, or last to last year, there was one candidate who is actually putting Yadav in bracket
20:31after the full name of theirs.
20:33So, what is…
20:34Why is that mattering?
20:35Yadav.
20:36Whom do they want to target?
20:39So, that matters.
20:40Yes.
20:41Go ahead.
20:41But sir…
20:42But sir…
20:43…
20:43…
20:43…
20:45…
21:13…
21:14…
21:43…
21:44…
22:13Ionical statement to some people.
22:15But I think one thing that I have learnt is that people can come from different opinions,
22:20people can come from different belts, but you can sit together and you can like have a proper discourse as
22:26we are having it today.
22:27And that is the idea of India for me at that point then, that you can sit together and without
22:33having that fear, without having that pre-inhibition thoughts, from your own experiences and backgrounds, you can sit together and
22:41you can talk and you can raise those issues, right?
22:43And you can be from multiple identities.
22:46I am a Christian girl from Kerala who is living in Gujarat and I have been facing those problems at
22:52different levels, right?
22:54But…
22:54Do you feel yourself as a minority?
22:56Do you see yourself as a minority?
22:57Is that your definition of yourself?
22:59I ask you your identity.
23:00Do you feel yourself as a minority?
23:02Do you feel yourself as a woman?
23:04How do you…
23:04I mean, as a woman, you know, do you believe today a woman has equal space to a man?
23:12Legally, yes, but socially then there are a lot of barriers…
23:15Even today?
23:16Yes.
23:16Yes?
23:17What do you feel as a young woman?
23:19Do you feel there are still barriers in our society?
23:21Are we still very male-dominated, even on campuses?
23:24Sir, it is true somewhere.
23:26Not exactly if I mention about campus, but, sir, here I would like to mention a case of Payal Tadvi,
23:32if you know.
23:32She was from the minority community and she committed suicide based on her…
23:38Based on the discrimination which she faced in the campus.
23:41And, sir, if I give real life example, then yes, we can take example of marriage.
23:46Like, as I mentioned, I belong from a village and if I ask my parents to marry a man who
23:51is a Muslim, they will, of course, say no.
23:53They will say no?
23:54Yes.
23:54They will say no.
23:55Because somewhere…
23:56I might agree with this thought, but somewhere this still exists in the society, in the marginalised section of the
24:02society, sir.
24:03So, I think that, yes, it is very needed.
24:05And one more thing, sir…
24:06Is there equality?
24:07Yeah, go ahead.
24:07There is no equality, sir.
24:08I would like to mention one thing.
24:10Women are still treated as pariah dhan.
24:13For example, sir, I would give an example, a real life example.
24:17Sir, kisi ka death ho gaya tha, humare ghar mein.
24:20And male members ko puja room mein ghusna allowed nahi tha.
24:24But they said ki, betia to parai dhan hai, unko ghusa ke hum saamagri mangwa leete hai.
24:30This is an example.
24:31This still exists in the village corner, sir.
24:33Women are still seen as pariah dhan.
24:36Yes, they are seen as pariah dhan, sir.
24:38Even your parents would discriminate, let me be honest, between you and your brother if you have one?
24:43If I honestly say, my parents have given me a lot of opportunity and I feel blessed
24:48because I can see a lot of people whose parents don't even let their girls educate.
24:53Even now?
24:53Yes, sir, I have seen a lot of people, especially my friends also.
24:57Their parents don't allow them to take their own decisions to choose.
25:00Even, sir, humanities.
25:01I took humanities in 11-12.
25:03Mostly parents don't agree taking their girl-child humanities because they think that if you take humanities,
25:10you will be jobless.
25:11And if you have to study, then you have to do it.
25:13I have seen all this, sir.
25:14Okay.
25:15You know, I am just trying to understand, therefore, because one of my questions is if there is one thing
25:22you wish to change about India as we enter the 80th year of our independence, what would that be?
25:27What is the one thing you want to see change?
25:29The dogma of religion.
25:31The?
25:31Dogma of religion.
25:33The?
25:33Dogma of religion.
25:34You want religion to be out of public life.
25:36Whatever religion you are, do it at home, not in public.
25:41What do you mean by dogma of religion?
25:43Dogma of religion, I would like to quote this example.
25:47If we look at our marriage, then look at our house.
25:50When we put a pot, like earthen pot, kalash, kalash, kalash, kalash, kalash, whatever it is.
25:58Now the first place, the first house, the first house, the tree, the tree.
26:03The tree was on the tree.
26:04The tree was on the tree.
26:06And the tree is going with the tree.
26:09Now the homes are built of concrete.
26:12The tiles are built.
26:13The tiles are also on the tree and then it is on the tree.
26:16And next day, we will put it on the tree.
26:19So what we are doing, we are just following the religion without any sense.
26:23That's a dogma.
26:24We are not questioning why it was there.
26:26and we are just following that that's a dogma that's just an example but there are a lot of
26:32millions of other things that exist in the world do you think we should have less religion in public
26:36life in general absolutely yes do you think that they should i mean if i were to ask you
26:41especially in politics especially in politics if you were to ask you would you like a school
26:46built or a temple built or a church or a mosque or a church what do you think should be
26:50built
26:53no i'm saying suppose a politician says he comes for an election campaign and says if you elect me
26:59i'm going to build a bhavia mandir or a large mosque or a church there versus him saying i'm going
27:05to
27:05build a school for all of you or a hospital what will you choose honest answer the first will win
27:10will win the first those who say that i'll build a temple mosque and church will win yes not those
27:16who say they'll build a school or a hospital yes but that's the reality of society
27:32and then chandachori takes place then he said chandachori takes place so that is a failure of
27:39system that is a failure of the system yes you know then paper leaks is a failure of the system
27:44chandachori is a failure of the system i mean do you feel as one thing we need to change in
27:50our
27:50society is to hold somebody accountable paper leaks take place year after year vacancies don't get
27:55filled there's chandachori i mean i'm just wondering what is it that you want change do you want less
28:01corruption do you want the entire system change what do you want yes mother representation what do you
28:05mean by that the first thing is that we have been as as gen z we are fed up of
28:09representation
28:10now we need agency it is not about the kind of revolution we witnessed in like arab spring not the
28:16revolution of uh nepal or bangladesh for that matter we still believe in the institutions but what we
28:22demand is a stake holding since we are we are not passive receivers we are active participants of the
28:28system we should be consulted our voices should be heard and as howard cable also said that every
28:33person has the capacity to resist and that resistance is the path where we demand our accountability
28:39account our agency and the recent protest of jantar mantar the 20th july protest it gave me so much
28:45hope because this is how many of you supported because you're you know yeah complete because why why do you
28:51why did why did it give you hope because this was the first time i could resonate myself as a
28:55gen z
28:56and that you wanted people you you resonated with what the cockroach janta party did
29:01absolutely you see yourself as a cockroach in a way that yeah you know you do yeah why not because
29:07the anger against the system is real you have to listen to somebody you have what is the anger against
29:13what what is the anger against against corruption against paper league what is the anger against
29:17everything the corruption is corruption is rampant accountability is zero if you say that you
29:22it is a government of the people by the people for the people you have to listen to the people
29:26you have
29:26to listen to their anguish and if you're not doing that then what is the entire point of running the
29:30government how many of you agree with what happened at jantar mantar or think that they you know that
29:35how many of you feel that you need a cockroach janta party how many of you say no sir we
29:39need a new
29:40party you need a new party in this country yes sir mallet joe ki nationalist party or genesis ki baat
29:47kare but
29:47if you remember that you know kakar and kashmir we have heard that kishmir was never been an integral part
29:54of india
29:55so how can you justify this thing you will have to be right
29:57wait sir that is a misconception the nara was not from there the video that you have shown on
30:04war was on 2012
30:07oh my god that's a proper video umar khalid has to sports there
30:12no from the states there was no nara no slogan for umar khalid there was no slogan for kashmir
30:17was Kashmir was not an integral part of India.
30:20That was only edited videos.
30:22I was there at the protest.
30:24I have seen, I have heard all of the people.
30:26I have heard all of the slogans.
30:28But there was nothing, none of the slogans like that.
30:30As you said, that's a misconception.
30:32Please clarify it.
30:33So you're very clear.
30:34You come from Kashmir.
30:35You believe in a way that you can't have a gathering
30:38where there can be slogans in support of Umar Khalid.
30:40Am I clear?
30:41You're saying that you cannot have slogans
30:43in support of Umar Khalid
30:44even though he's not been convicted.
30:45His conviction is not, but you're saying
30:47they cannot have slogans in his favour.
30:50Correct?
30:50Sir, the main thing is that if you know
30:53Jammu and Kashmir are India's part or not.
30:56If this is happening in any place,
30:58Jammu and Kashmir are not part of India,
31:00then how is that justified?
31:02You said just now to me also earlier
31:04that the nationalist party should be.
31:05What does the nationality mean?
31:06What does the country talk about?
31:08What does the anti-nationalist involve?
31:10So in that sense, Hitler was also a nationalist?
31:12Sorry?
31:13In that sense, Hitler was also a nationalist.
31:17So far, I'm trying to understand from you
31:22what does nationalism mean?
31:24You know, when you say patriotism, nationalism,
31:26what does it mean?
31:27What does it mean for you?
31:29Sir, the country means it is to be a country
31:33to have a strong country.
31:34How is it?
31:34Sir, to work for the country.
31:37To work for the country.
31:38To work for the country.
31:39The people who are the nationalist,
31:40are they nationalists or are they not?
31:41Sir.
31:41Who have been the paper league,
31:42they're nationalists.
31:43Or are they not?
31:43I'm asking you a straight question.
31:45We are, you know,
31:45what is the definition of nationalism?
31:48Of the country?
31:50Sir, the people who are working for the country.
31:52Sir, the people who are working for the country.
32:05What is your definition?
32:08Basically nationalism for me, basically if I want to contradict, first of all nationalism is all about doing the right
32:15for the country.
32:16For example, sir, if I give the example, then Chief Justice of India said that Gen Z is cockroach.
32:21There was some protest in that answer and paper leak.
32:26Ethanol 20 is also a case which is going on. We made the Ethanol E20 Janta Party because we are
32:31demanding that this is wrong.
32:33So, sir, there are some problems in nationalism.
32:36We can't say exactly that we are anti-nationalist, but we know that a society is dialectical.
32:40There are contradictions which exist.
32:42So, we as the new generation are demanding, we are voicing what we need as a new generation.
32:47Do you think the Cockroach Janta Party was voicing your concerns? Was it?
32:51Sir, of course, sir. I have seen people who have taken 3-3 drops.
32:55They are sitting in a room. They are studying day and night.
32:57Despite that, due to paper leak, due to two numbers, they are not getting into a medical college.
33:02And we still know that mostly people are not capable to read in private institution in this country.
33:06But I think the idea of Cockroach Janta Party being important or not is not relevant.
33:10What is important is that we witnessed a mass movement without any leader.
33:14Yes. And the Gen Z, I think…
33:15And it was peaceful.
33:16What we require is no leaders. We need no faces. We need no personality curls.
33:20In this type of movement, everybody is a leader.
33:22And this is the power of the Gen Z that you are asking somebody to resign.
33:26And they did. Because this is the power of the youth, the power of the collective.
33:30If nobody else could do it, the students could do it.
33:32Was it an Instagram revolution, as somebody says? Are all of you… I mean, are these revolutions taking place on
33:38Instagram, social media or are people actually willing to go out on the streets and protest?
33:43I mean, until… Yeah, we saw it in this. But in general, there was a belief that Gen Z is
33:48happy to click on social media and, you know, do change petition.
33:52But all of it is on social media, on Instagram. Are you all willing to actually go down on the
33:56street, raise your voice? Yes or no?
33:58Yes, they do. Yes, you are. Yes.
34:00Are you really? Yes, sir.
34:02Sir, this is a misconception that everything that is happening right now is only on Instagram or is only on
34:09social media by the Gen Z.
34:11I feel like there are still people who are going out there and then they are fighting for those rights,
34:16right?
34:16We saw what happened at Jantar Mantar, but it was not just limited to what happened in Jantar Mantar.
34:21There were protests in Mumbai, there were protests in Ahmedabad, there were protests all across the country, in Bangalore.
34:26Are you seeing what's happening in Jarkhand now? Yes, sir.
34:28I mean, should that get as much of coverage as what is happening in Jantar Mantar as well?
34:32Definitely. And more so because you're not in the political capital of the country, so you need to have more
34:38eyes on what is happening in Jarkhand.
34:40I myself am a civil services aspirant and I think that you need to have that kind of a system
34:47where you ask for accountability,
34:49where you ask these questions of whether the exam was conducted in a right manner or not.
34:54And if these people are asking these questions, why are they being bloody charged?
34:57Why is there no accountability there, but just political ignorance or political apathy?
35:03And that is exactly what we need to change.
35:05I will add one point. If we are saying this is just an Instagram movement.
35:09So, earlier moments was of letter moment, radio moment.
35:13No one can't stand up at once.
35:16We have to reach ourselves first.
35:18Whether it's from the media, from the letters, from the letters, from the radio, from the television.
35:23So, can we say that that was the TV revolution, that was the radio revolution?
35:27So, now the media is social media. Now the mass communication tool is social media.
35:32That's why the current movements are called social media movement.
35:36You know, how do you see India in 2047? You guys will be around. I don't know. I'm a boomer.
35:41I don't know whether I'll be around in 2047, but you will certainly be around.
35:45I just want to, two of you come from Kashmir.
35:47One of the things, concerns I see across the country is jobs.
35:52One of the other concerns I see in many states is drugs.
35:55You know, a lot of young people, drugs.
35:57What, according to you, is the future? How do you see it? What is your biggest concern?
36:02Is it jobs? Is there a sense of anxiety? What is my future going to be?
36:08Are you really willing to live in the moment?
36:10Or are you worried that you will get a job or not?
36:12Sir, something about reservation. I want to speak something about reservation, sir.
36:15Yeah, go ahead.
36:15Sir, here are two contradictory things.
36:16You want that changed in India? Go ahead.
36:18Sir, I have two contradictory things here.
36:20Yes.
36:20First of all, I would like to mention a case study in Mahasana, Gujarat, which recently took place,
36:25where a person from the Dalit caste, he was not allowed to ride a horse
36:29because it was said that he belongs from, it is a ritual which the people of general category basically do
36:35and he is a Dalit.
36:36On the other side of the coin, sir, we can see a few discriminatory sections,
36:41like if we take into consideration the UGC bill, there is a section, section 3, clause 1c,
36:47which defines that if a person of ST, SC or OVC category is not treated in a good way…
36:56Is discriminated against in some form.
36:57Yeah, is not…
36:58If he is discriminated, he can go to the VC and he can complain a file against a person belonging
37:03to the general category.
37:04However, there is no such provision that if a general category person is discriminated, how that person will be treated.
37:12So, sir, this is a contradiction in the society and one more case I want to, sir, mention about the
37:17EWS reservation,
37:18which was introduced…
37:19Economically weaker sections.
37:20It was introduced in 2019 and, sir, I have seen a lot of people who make fake EWS certificates,
37:26despite that they earn more than 8 lakh a year.
37:30So, sir, these contradictions in the societies are somewhere confusing.
37:34I think we as a generation that what is right, is reservation valid and, sir, there was also Supreme Court…
37:38So, let me take that. Is reservation valid or not?
37:41Yes, sir.
37:41It is… No, should there be reservations or not?
37:44Sir, there must be reservation. However, I think practically system should be changed.
37:49Should it be on basis of caste or economic condition? What is the basis of reservation? Should there be reservations?
37:56Do you believe… How many of you believe there should be reservations?
37:59Yes.
38:00One, two, three, four…
38:01Even I believe…
38:01All of you believe there should be reservations?
38:03Yes.
38:03On the basis of poverty.
38:05On the basis of poverty, on the basis of income.
38:07Yes.
38:07On the basis of caste as well, because there are issues of caste that are happening today.
38:13What she said about Mahasana is not just limited to Mahasana and Gujarat, it is happening all over the country.
38:19And you see these problems that are happening in campuses, outside, even in workplaces.
38:25And…
38:25And…
38:26Until you remove this…
38:28No, caste-based discrimination…
38:29Until it will not be removed…
38:30Until it will not be removed…
38:32Until it will not be removed…
38:32If it has been removed for 4,000 years…
38:34This awareness system and caste…
38:38So…
38:38What will happen in the past 80 years?
38:41If…
38:41There are many ma'am who say that…
38:43You know…
38:44Reservation is destroying merit.
38:46What happens to…
38:46If I…
38:47You know…
38:48Is that true?
38:48Or is that an argument used by the upper caste to retain their monopoly?
38:52Yes, sir…
38:52Recently, sir…
38:53In some exams…
38:54Negative cut-off…
38:55For STST category…
38:56So, sir…
38:57The child is studying the general category…
38:58Is not getting the seat…
38:59But the child is scoring the negative…
39:01They are getting the seat…
39:02But, sir…
39:03It is not equal footing…
39:05Exactly…
39:05What do you mean by that?
39:08The child is discriminated against…
39:12It depends for centuries…
39:13If not years…
39:14And then…
39:15If it is not equal footing…
39:16If it is not equal footing…
39:17If it is a general category…
39:17The child is comparing it…
39:19Then…
39:20What basis do you compare it?
39:21Is it then equality?
39:22Is it then merit?
39:24Is it then merit?
39:24That comes into account then?
39:25And one more point…
39:26Why…
39:27Why…
39:27All the sanitization workers…
39:29Sanitization workers…
39:30Come from a particular community?
39:31Why is it so?
39:32If…
39:33There is no discrimination…
39:34There is no caste discrimination…
39:35Or any type of discrimination…
39:37Why is it so?
39:38That…
39:38Any…
39:40Particular community…
39:41Do…
39:41Create only…
39:43Sanitization workers…
39:44And not others…
39:45You know…
39:45It is interesting…
39:46You all come from Kashmir…
39:48Do you feel…
39:49Kashmir is now…
39:51In the…
39:52Integration…
39:52Post…
39:53The removal of Article 317…
39:55Do you feel more integrated?
39:56Yes, sir…
39:56You do?
39:57Yes, sir…
39:58You are a Kashmiri Pandit…
39:59You are from Rajauri…
40:01Do your Kashmiri Muslim friends…
40:02Feel as integrated or not?
40:04Honest answer…
40:04Yes, sir…
40:05Integrated…
40:05Yes, sir…
40:07Honestly…
40:08Yes, honest answer…
40:09I want…
40:09Honestly…
40:10First…
40:11There was no purpose…
40:14That…
40:14There was a national anthem…
40:17In every place…
40:17As you told us…
40:18There were two flags…
40:19There was a flag…
40:20And a flag…
40:21There was a flag…
40:21In any place…
40:23There was a flag…
40:25There was a flag…
40:26There was a flag…
40:26There was a flag…
40:27But after 2019…
40:29We saw this…
40:30That…
40:31That…
40:31Our…
40:33That…
40:33There was a flag…
40:33That…
40:34That…
40:35Is…
40:35They feel…
40:42That…
40:52That…
40:52Yes.
40:54You're an SRCC product.
40:55Why should you feel, I thought SRCC gets the best placements?
40:59But yes, it do get best placements, but on our skills.
41:03And what education system of current, our current system is not equipping us with the very good skills.
41:10And the jobs are not very certain.
41:12We are getting jobs from the private companies and the layoffs are very frequent nowadays.
41:18Are you worried that with AI coming, the job situation will get worse?
41:22Is that a concern that you all have, that AI is going to make life even more difficult for your
41:27generation?
41:27I don't find that AI will take all of the jobs.
41:30But if we learn how to use AI, that will equip us more to how to use AI and how
41:38to do better in our jobs.
41:40But there is something that sets up apart from the millennials particularly.
41:44The Gen Z situation is that we primarily want economic realism over the hustle culture.
41:51What do you mean by that?
41:52The hustle culture, as we see the millennials, they were told that you have to work hard, you have to
41:56work from 9 to 5,
41:57you have to earn, you have to buy a house, you have to pay the rent, you have to go
42:00from office, you have to do that.
42:01We are not ready to buy that story as Gen Z.
42:04We want our lives to be more meaningful.
42:06We want fair pay, we want work-life balance.
42:09And that is something that is missing in the current situation.
42:12It's interesting you are saying that Narayan Murthy says there should be a six-day week.
42:16You don't agree with that?
42:17I don't.
42:18Right?
42:18What would you do on the weekends?
42:20You all want your time to yourselves.
42:22Absolutely.
42:22Right?
42:23Their education ministry is also not called education ministry.
42:26It's called human resource development.
42:27But what is work-life balance?
42:29Tell me what do you mean by work-life balance?
42:31I want to understand what do you mean by work-life balance in an independent India.
42:35What does it mean?
42:36If I want to pursue my career in academia, I want Monday to Thursday as my working days.
42:41And Friday, Saturday, Sunday, I want to dedicate that to my own research.
42:44Because along with the good of the society, I want my own personal development as well.
42:49And that would not come if I am just dedicated to one particular job, 24 into 7.
42:53And I think jobless growth is also increasing in our country.
42:57And, sir, I think that for that we need to develop things by ourselves in order to also achieve the
43:04goal of Atmanirbar Bharat.
43:06Sir, if I bring a recent case related to the current topic also, we all know that all of us
43:11are affected by the price hike of petroleum due to the problem going on in the state of hormones.
43:17So, I read an article where it was written that we can install coal gasification systems because we have a
43:24very large share of coal.
43:26And we can replace LPG with dimethyl ether which can help us save Rs. 34,000 crore annually which we
43:32can also use for productive purposes.
43:34However, sir, I think implementation of these things are very important so that we can see our country in a
43:39better position in 2047 where the regular depreciation of our currency which has been happening should be appreciated.
43:46What do you want to see in 2047?
43:48What is your India of your dreams?
43:50Sir, independent India first of all.
43:52We are independent today?
43:54We are independent politically, sir.
43:56And not exactly politically.
43:57There are different aspects.
43:58Are we economically independent?
44:00Are we culturally independent?
44:02Are, is caste based discrimination still eradicated from the society?
44:07So, there are a lot of different aspects, sir, which we need to focus on.
44:10Are we on a 99 year lease as an independent country?
44:14Also, sir, there was a data which basically mentioned that, of course, AI is replacing job.
44:18But if we can train our people, if we do skill development, then I think AI can create more jobs.
44:24For that, we need to install systems in our educational institutes because we still know that we are following what
44:30Michaelism, what Lord Michaeli gave.
44:33And we are still following the curriculum.
44:35Your generation, I asked you the question about drugs.
44:39Is there a serious problem of drugs on campuses?
44:42Yes or no?
44:43Yes, sir.
44:44There is a problem, serious problem of drugs, mother?
44:46Not exactly.
44:47Not exactly, no?
44:48No.
44:48Is there a serious problem in parts of the country?
44:52Punjab we have seen, Kashmir we have seen.
44:54Yes, Kashmir, Kashmir.
44:54There is a huge problem of drugs in Kashmir.
44:57Yes.
44:57Right?
44:58So, there are pockets of this country where the young are feeling.
45:01Why do they take to drugs?
45:04Why are the young taking to drugs?
45:05Do you know?
45:07You ask your friends who are on drugs?
45:08Sir, I want to mention one thing.
45:10And I think we should also accept that at some places the Gen Z is also wrong.
45:16I want to mention a data.
45:18Sir, according to 2024, 14,500 Gen Z people, they suicided.
45:25And according to a data, 48% suicides are due to love affairs, family issues and the societal trauma with
45:33the Gen Z face.
45:33I think this is one of the reasons due to which they somewhere take drugs and stuff.
45:38Okay. Let's, as we enter the last 10 minutes, talk more positive things.
45:44Okay?
45:44What is the one moment, since it's Independence Day, let's look positive.
45:47What is the one moment that has inspired you the most?
45:50What do you see and say, yeah, this made me feel good.
45:54You know, for example, when Neerat Chopra won an Olympic gold, I felt good.
45:58I felt almost like I was there winning a gold medal for India.
46:01Is there something, what inspires you about India?
46:03Do you have a moment, event, something that has inspired you?
46:07Yeah, Avni, the story of Avni Likhara is one which has inspired me a lot.
46:11Who is she?
46:12Sir, Avni Likhara is the twin gold girl of India.
46:16Basically, she won in the Paralympics.
46:18If I give the example, she was going for a dance competition and she met an accident after which she
46:23lost her legs.
46:24But still, she somewhere participated and she won gold medal for India two times.
46:29And just like that, as I am from Odisha and I know that tribal culture is very famous.
46:35We can also see the example of Raj Chuprati.
46:38We can see…
46:39Draupadi Murmu.
46:40Draupadi Murmuji.
46:41Who is also an inspiration for many tribal people, many tribal women who are still marginalized.
46:46Okay.
46:46Inspiration, role model.
46:48Who?
46:49Is there somebody, something that inspires you, somebody who is a role model for you?
46:54Mahabharat.
46:55Mahabharat inspires the story of Mahabharat.
46:57Especially Krishnaji.
46:59Krishnaji inspires you today.
47:01You are still inspired by the idea of Lord Krishna.
47:03Krishna says,
47:06in which we need to work upon the importance of Nishkama Karma Yoga.
47:10And here I also want to mention about APJ Abdul Kalamji who said a very important statement.
47:16Dream, dream, dream.
47:17Convert your dream into your thoughts and then into your action.
47:20This is very important which we as Gen Z need to focus upon.
47:23So APJ is a role model for you?
47:25Yes.
47:25Okay.
47:26Having said that, I think my role model would be Dr. Manmohan Singh.
47:29Because I was born in India where Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and Dr. Manmohan Singh, two people
47:34healing from the minority communities were heading this country.
47:37And not just that, this was a…
47:38Dr. Manmohan Singh was a person who would work with utmost civility.
47:42What we see does not exist in India anymore.
47:44The kind of political discourse we are witnessing, it's very appalling.
47:47So, is the kind of motto he lived on.
47:51So, he's somebody who inspires me.
47:54He inspired you.
47:55Okay.
47:55Any moment, any individual who inspires you, your role models, your inspiring moment?
48:00So, I don't have a particular individual, but there's a particular moment that has inspired
48:04me a lot.
48:05And that is during the period of emergency.
48:07It was a very dark period, right?
48:09All the fundamental rights were…
48:111975, way before you were born.
48:14Definitely.
48:14But I have read about it.
48:16So, one of the moments that inspired me a lot was that on 26th June, you had editorial
48:23pages in newspapers coming up with blank pages.
48:26Some papers.
48:27Some papers.
48:28Not all.
48:28Yeah.
48:28Indian Express being one.
48:30And I think that itself is a medium of protest that media itself today needs.
48:36And transparent media and accountable media needs.
48:38And I think that is one big thing that I think inspires me that you need to tackle with the
48:43problem of censorship.
48:45And this is how you tackle with it.
48:46Vijay, interesting.
48:47Since you mentioned media, what are your views of your generation on the media itself?
48:51How do you…
48:51I mean, how do you consume media?
48:53How do you see the media?
48:54Are you ready to listen?
48:57I'm ready to listen.
48:58I'm open.
48:59You know, I'm listening to you for the last 45 minutes.
49:02The sad reality is the youth of this country has stopped watching the mainstream media altogether.
49:07Definitely.
49:07Yes?
49:07Definitely.
49:09Y'all have stopped.
49:10What do you watch?
49:1110, 15 years down, I think all those channels are going to shut.
49:15Really?
49:15India today is doing a good job.
49:16You can't come on India today and say, you know, 10, 15 years from now, all the mainstream
49:21TV channels are going to shut.
49:23There are some exceptions.
49:24There are some exceptions.
49:25I hope you watch my show.
49:26I do.
49:27You know, so the fact is, I mean, I want to understand from y'all, where do y'all get
49:33your news then from?
49:35From social media.
49:36From social media.
49:37Independent journalism.
49:38Independent journalism.
49:39Independent journalism.
49:39Independent journalism.
49:40Independent journalism.
49:40Social media gives you your news.
49:42Yes.
49:42How do you separate fake news?
49:44I mean, there's a lot of disinformation also out there.
49:46We verify it from multiple sources and then like internet is with us.
49:51Yes.
49:51Our mobile phones, our devices is with us.
49:54So, we verify it from multiple sources, whether it's from government sources, whether it's from
49:59non-government sources and what information we do find at the very frequent.
50:05We do accept that.
50:06Okay.
50:06What inspires you?
50:08She mentioned APJ Abdul Kalam.
50:10Someone mentioned Manmohan Singh on this side.
50:13You mentioned Krishnaji.
50:15Krishnaji.
50:16You mentioned what happened in 1975 with newspapers when they were being censored.
50:21You mentioned also a story of a Paralympian and how she won.
50:27Who inspires you?
50:28Sir, for me, sir, Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
50:30Vaibhav Suryavanshi?
50:32Why?
50:32I mean, 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi is your inspiration.
50:36You want to be an IPL cricketer?
50:37Are you a good cricketer?
50:38Cricketer.
50:39Why?
50:40Why?
50:40Vaibhav Suryavanshi, why does Vaibhav Suryavanshi inspire you?
50:42Sir, at 15 years old, he's playing the IPL top quality ballers.
50:48And he's an extraordinary talent.
50:50So, sir, he inspires me.
50:51Okay.
50:52What about you?
50:52Sir, there is no particular inspiration, like particular role model for me.
50:57It depends on the circumstances.
50:58If I was in 1950s, I would say Jawaharlal Nehru.
51:02If I was in 1960s, I would have said Lalbhadur Shastri or some other leader.
51:07If I was in 2023, I would have said our prime minister.
51:11But currently, I'm analyzing a lot of people, a lot of role models around us.
51:16So, yes, as you mentioned, there are a lot of fake news as well.
51:19There are a lot of fake people as well.
51:20So, we are analyzing them and we do verify from multiple sources and multiple circumstances
51:25how the people is reacting.
51:26Since you mentioned prime ministers through the years, how many of you would actually
51:30want to get into public life and politics?
51:32How many of you?
51:33You want to get into public life and politics?
51:35You want to contest from Maharaj Ganj?
51:37Yes.
51:37Yeah, why not?
51:38Where do you want to contest from?
51:39You want to contest from Odisha and election?
51:42I mean, I'm just wondering, is your generation, do you have faith in politics or have you lost
51:47faith in politics?
51:48We don't have faith in democracy.
51:49You have faith in democracy, but not in politics.
51:52Yes.
51:53Politics, sir, basically politics.
51:54Do you believe the promises that Netas give or not?
51:59Some do.
52:00Some do.
52:00You believe in some politicians.
52:02Only some do.
52:03A lot of don't do.
52:04Okay.
52:04The meaning of politics has been changed in our country.
52:07Like when we read politics, what politics is serving the public.
52:11But somewhere here we can see that what our members of parliament are doing.
52:16But there are exceptions also.
52:17We can see Sudha Murthy ma'am who mentioned in one of her speeches about the importance
52:21of vaccination for the cervical cancer, especially for the females.
52:26So, I think there are some people from where we can get inspired.
52:30However, of course, I don't think, I don't specifically support.
52:34And looking at how parliament is functioning these days, it's become the biggest circus
52:40of the country right now.
52:41There's absolute log jam.
52:43Nobody is ready to debate properly.
52:45Okay.
52:46I'm going to ask you all one final question and a quick answer.
52:49What is the best thing about being Indian?
52:51What is the best thing about being Indian?
52:53Unity in diversity.
52:53Okay.
52:54But unity in diversity was from there.
52:56What is it?
52:56Diversity again.
52:57Diversity.
52:58The fact that we have these multiple religions, cuisine, you know, places that you can travel to.
53:06And if we read our scriptures in a very true sense, if we get the meaning.
53:11So, the very,
53:14the shloka is there.
53:19Like the counting of we and me and you,
53:23us versus them is not something we actually want to do.
53:27But the reality is that there is too much of us versus them.
53:31So, you want India to move from us versus them to truly what Vasudeva Kutumbaka means,
53:36which is Indians as one family, irrespective of which part of the country they come from,
53:41which religion they belong to, which caste they belong to.
53:43Yes.
53:43You are a dreamer, my friend, which is not bad.
53:46What is the best thing about being Indian?
53:47Since you said you are a desh bhag,
53:50what is the best thing about being Indian?
53:52Sir, what is our heritage?
53:54Sir, the heritage, the legacy, which is our Indians.
53:57Sir, that's a very...
53:58The heritage of India.
53:59By the way, I forgot to ask you,
54:00why are you so excited about Vaibhav Suryavanshi?
54:03Why is he a role model?
54:04Sir, extraordinary talent.
54:06Extraordinary talent.
54:06Okay.
54:07What's the best thing about being Indian?
54:10Sir, that we have the ancient knowledge.
54:13Like we have Bhagavad Gita.
54:14That's how we know today,
54:16we have no other book from me.
54:18There are such things in our India,
54:20in which there is no need to be used in this world.
54:23Okay.
54:25Young lady.
54:25I think there is still hope to change and evolve,
54:29despite whatever has happened in the past.
54:31So, I think that is there with India,
54:33and you can also work towards it.
54:35There might be institutional barriers,
54:37there might be so many social barriers,
54:40but you still have that hope,
54:42and I think that is what keeps me driving,
54:44and that is what keeps me stay connected to India as well,
54:47and not move outside.
54:48So, India is driven by the idea of hope.
54:50Adhav, I'm going to give you the final word.
54:52What is the best thing about being Indian?
54:54To be proud of India
54:55is to be proud of the democratic foundations of this country.
54:58When we had the chance of becoming dictator,
55:01moving towards dictatorship,
55:03India chose to remain the most democratic country ever.
55:05We were the first country to implement
55:06universal adent franchise,
55:08and all the credits are owed to Pandit Nehru for that matter.
55:11Okay, you're a bit of a Nehruvian there.
55:13Achy, you have a poem for us.
55:15Yes, go ahead.
55:19Go ahead, you have a Kavita for us.
55:21Go ahead.
55:42Okay, that's a wonderful note on which to end today.
55:45There is something very special
55:47about this extraordinary land called India.
55:50Ish desh ki mitti mein kuch hai?
55:53Let's treasure it.
55:54The diversity, the hope, the ambitions
55:56of millions of Indians.
55:59I would not live in any other country but India.
56:03Thank you all very much for joining me,
56:05and to each and every one of you,
56:07happy Independence Day.
56:09Namaskar Jaihin.
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