Monday, November 1, 2010

Youth- the Future of India?

When a friend from America visited me, one of the first things she said was, "I can never get over how young India is. I have seen barely a handful of older people all week."

Her statement seemed strange because, of course, there are older people in India too. But the numbers prove her right- almost a third of the billion people in India are between 10 and 24 years old. And because it is primarily the youth who migrate to cities to escape rural poverty, almost half of urban India falls in that age range.

Imagine the latent productivity.
_____
drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.



Once a month, I contribute to my organisation's blog- do check out my latest post on Youth in urban-India.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rayna - What possibilities there are with so many young people!!! A whole generation to learn, to grow, and take leadership when they are ready. Anything can happen.... What a great Drabble :-).

Saumya said...

Soo true! I never realized that the young people are the ones who migrate to the cities in India.

Jenny said...

That's an amazing demographic, with so much potential!

Jules said...

Amazing how we have so much hope in our youth. :)
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

Danette said...

Does that mean that there is an incredible amount of competition for work? It seems to me that is an enormous number of able bodies in one place...

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

A future full of hope. Guide them well, my fried.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I didn't know that!

LTM said...

wow! That's tough. And I'm sure they're all inexperienced/need training... but by whom? What happens to the old folks??? (dare I ask? :o\

great post~ <3

Natasha said...

@ Margot- anything could happen, or nothing could. Or... something could happen and that thing could be a violent revolution. Anything! But yes, I have hope.

@ Saumya- it is. The older people are more settled, and less likely to do so.

@ Jenny- absolutely.

@ Jules- I am hopeful, because they can do so much. But scared too.

@ Danette- yes and no. There are jobs, but they are for the trained. The rest get a raw deal :-(

@ Mary- can only do what little I can.

@ Alex- it is the largest youth population anywhere.

@ Leigh- the old folk still find work, but they are weighed down.
It is a tough one.

Deb and Barbara said...

This is amazing!! I think they WILL do so much. Just wait.
B
The Middle Ages

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Wish our youth were that motivated!

Melissa said...

Wow, you learn something new everyday!

Southpaw said...

How funny that your friend is the one who noticed it.

Jane Kennedy Sutton said...

Wow – that’s a large percentage of young people. I have no statistics, but where I live in Florida I go to many places where I feel like the young kid in town – it’s another reason I love this area!)

Stephanie Faris said...

I never realized that! Nashville is fairly old -- but then I work for the State and the only people who come to work for us are middle aged people who are tired of working hard!

Anonymous said...

What potential for change!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I had no idea! The youth can really make a difference, too...so full of ideas.

Unknown said...

Hmm, that's really interesting. I guess it makes sense but it's neat what you can gleam from an outsider's perspective.

CD

Natasha said...

@ Barbara- I to hope so. Really do.

@ Diane Wolfe said...
Wish our youth were that motivated!

@ Melissa- more Indian youth than citizens of the US- how's that?

@ Holly- guess it needs an outsider to see things like this.

@ Jane- isn't that something? But I am not surprised you feel quite the kid- you are enthusiastic and passionate- two things that make you appear much younger than your actual age.

@ Stephanie- that is really sad- having to work with people who are too tired to work.

@ Fiona- it is, isn't it?

@ Elizabeth- random fact- there are more people in India between the ages 10 to 24 than there are citizens of the US.

@ Clarissa- yes, till she told me, I never thought of it, but once she did, it hit me.

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