What young leaders of India Inc want from the next government

The nation that young leaders of India Inc want to build and how they want to build it are both very different from what their older , more accomplished predecessors want. The current generation of leaders who stand tall and powerful over the business horizon want to build a better nation with ‘better policies’. But the next, upcoming generation is convinced that a better India can be built only by building ‘better people’.

How are we so sure of this contrast between two generations? Roughly two-and-a-half years ago, ET, hoping to shake an uncertain government out of paralysis , commissioned six veteran business leaders to craft an ‘agenda for renewal’ . This was submitted to the then finance minister Pranab Mukherjee at the ET Awards For Corporate Excellence . This 10-point charter identified policy changes and actions as the levers to pull in order to revive economic growth. This ET special edition is another such agenda for renewal for the next government to consider. Only, the architects are younger, mostly under 40 or just past. ET invited them to spell out nation building ideas they are passionate about. Much of their thinking narrowed down to one theme – empowering people, especially younger ones.

Rishad Premji makes a case for a liberal education system that produces people who are socially and ethically sensible. Rohan Murty argues for a culture of higher education and a celebration of young researchers. Rajan Anandan writes about helping people overcome the fear of entrepreneurship and failure. Roshni Nadar is working on giving rural children a fair and equal opportunity to grow into leaders.
(Check out what Rishad Premji, Rohan Murty, Rajan Anandan, Ireena Vittal, Tushar Poddar, Roshni Nadar Malhotra wants from next government)
Their consensus: Empower young people through education, employment and entrepreneurship . If the three pistons are pumping well, business will flourish and social inequalities will reduce. The new government can do nothing better than to inject strength and vigour into these pistons.