Paper presented at the national seminar on "Igniting Young Minds for an Emerging India" at Sesomu Girls College, Sri Dungargarh 12-13 January 2013 on the occasion of 151th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda

1. ENTREPRENEURSHIP, LEADERSHIP AND
EMPOWERMENT - THE KEY TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF
EMERGING INDIAN ECONOMY
by :
Dr. Trilok Kumar Jain
(career counselor and entrepreneurship trainer)
Dean,
ISBM, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jagatpura, Jaipur
Bikaner Address : Parakh Niwas, Sivakamu Veterinary Hospital Road, Outside Gogagate Circle,
Bandrabas, Bikaner
Email : jain.tk@gmail.com Mobile : 9414430763
Dr. Trilok Kumar Jain : Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Empowerment….
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2. (Paper presented at the national seminar on "Igniting Young Minds for an Emerging India" at
Sesomu Girls College, Sri Dungargarh 12-13 January 2013 on the occasion of 151th birth
anniversary of Swami Vivekananda)
Abstract
The author discusses the current social and economic issues, particularly relating to the youth of
India. The author suggests solutions and recommends training in social entrepreneurship,
leadership, motivation, softskills and character building. The author suggests that the youth can
again become job creator rather than job seeker and for that proper training and skills have to
be imparted.
Keywords : Swami Vivekanand, Entrepreneurship, Empowerment, Youth, Indian Economy,
Leadership
You may have seen the statistics that India is now the fourth largest world power in terms of PPP.
You might have been told that India has been progressing at 6% or more consistently during last
two decades while other countries have dipped into recession. You might have been told that
Indian economic and social progress is amazing. However, go beyond the statistics and look at
the realities at the ground. You will find that India has more corruption, more social disintegration, more fractions, more discord, more social evils, more job (clerical jobs) orientation
and more individualism. The youth of today are unaware of its rich heritage and are disoriented
towards spirituality and rich Indian culture. The youth of today wish to go abroad as quickly as
possible and wish to serve MNCs rather than creating their own businesses. The spirit of
entrepreneurship is at its low and the spirit of social service has turned into commercialization. In
terms of numbers, we may have more literates, but the real education is about character, sense of
responsibility and being sensitive to the society and the nation. While every home was education
centre earlier, now even the universities fail to impart character building. While earlier everyone
wanted to develop educational institutions and libraries in their villages and cities in preindependence India, today when we have all these – no body cares for them and libraries are the
least visited places in any institution.
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3. The Emerging Challenges and the Emerging Solutions :
We must accept that India is facing major problems today, these problems are all man-made
problems. The problems that we are facing today are the following : a. corruption lack of work culture particularly in government sector
b. unemployment, lack of initiative and lack of entrepreneurship
c. crimes, particularly crimes against women
d. economic slowdown, downfall in government and private sector – moral, financial and
structural
e. increasing craze for government service and lack of initiative for entrepreneurship
f. breaking social values, alienation of the youth
g. brain drain, flight of talent and disdainful attitude towards India
h. lack of role model and lack of national pride among the youth and increasing depression and
drugs
i. lack of role clarity and lack of direction among the youth
j. breaking social networks, social fabric and social structure without proper change management
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4. The solution of all these lies in raising the spirit of the youth of today. The youth is the source of
solutions to all problems. The youth has fascination for change, for improvement and for a fair
system. In the recent elections, the youth have voted for change and favoured AAP just because
it promised corruption free governance. We need to make the youth realize that they belong to a
great country, a great heritage, a great culture, a great civilization and a great value system. We
need to re-orient the youth of today towards their social commitment, and build a sense of pride
for our social and cultural systems. The youth of today must realize that they are in a great
country, they must admire its richness and contribute to its culture and heritage. If the youth
determines, they will again make our counry the Sone Ki Chidiya. Swami Vivekananda says :
“You must have an iron will if you would cross the ocean. You must be strong enough to pierce
mountains” Certainly, the youth can do any work and nothing is impossible. We have to have
trust on youth and give them the power to present themselves. Says Swami ji : “Take up one
idea, make that one idea your life, think of it, dream of it, live of it, let the brain, muscle, nerves,
every part of your body be full of that idea and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way
great spiritual giants are produced, others are mere talking machines”Today we are witnessing a
crisis of leadership. The youth of today find it difficult to emulate any role model. Political
leaders fail to present a true leader, who is a person of integrity, honesty and commitment. Social
and economic life is shattered due to lack of role model. The youth of today are looking to the
West for leadership and there also they fail to get any answer. They have to again look back and
get inspiration from Swami Vivekananda for preparing their strong character and moral values
and for taking inspirational role model. “Your country requires heroes; be heroes; your duty is to
go
on
working,
and
then
everything
will
follow
of
itself”.
The Economic Challenges of the modern India : In 2008, the entire world faced economic recession. The recession is still having its impact on
economies. The impact of recession still continues. The Economy still faces problems and there
are no signs of recovery. Exports are declining, industries are facing sluggish demand and overall
growth rate is declining. It seems that these challenges will continue to confront us in the days to
come. Solutions to the challenges of tomorrow will solve the problems for ever and make our
country a great country.
Swami ji said : “Three things are necessary to make every man great, every nation great”
Conviction of the powers of goodness
*
Absence of jealousy and suspicion
Helping all who are trying to be and do good”
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5. What is required is to re-build the confidence and trust among the youth so that they may raise
their aspirations and focus on building a great nation. We have to make them citizens of strong
will power, strong character and strong analytical skills. These youth, who are today searching
jobs, can become entrepreneurs and job-creators. “Stand up, be bold, be strong. Take the whole
responsibility on your own shoulders, & know that you are the creator of your own destiny”
There is a need to impart training in social entrepreneurship to the youth and these trained and
empowered youth can become the makers of tomorrow. Swami Vivekananda says “They alone
live
who
live
for
others,
rest
are
more
dead
then
alive”
Increasing Crimes: The crime rate is increasing continuously. There is a need to build character among the youth.
The overall environment is that of depression, dejection and dis-trust. The youth of today find it
difficult to trust anybody. They have lost their understanding of religion, their faith in God has
disappeared and their belief in the values is being shaken. Swami Vivekananda says “To be good
and to do good - that is the whole of religion”
Need of Empowered Youth : The Youth of today feel helpless. They look to governments for any issue. They prefer a
government service of clerical level to doing any industry or creative venture. They fail to have
required confidence to be the leaders of tomorrow. They are not able to take up a cause and fight
for it. They are leaderless and their inability to raise their voice puts them in corner. There is a
need to empower the youth and impart them leadership and entrepreneurial training so that they
may re-discover their creative and innovative capabilities. Swami Vivekananda says “Strength is
life, Weakness is death”Swami Vivekananda says “All the power is within you; you can do
anything and everything. Believe in that; don’t believe that you are weak. Stand up and express
the divinity with in you”“What ever you think, that you will be. If you think yourself weak, weak
you will be; if you think yourself strong; strong you will be”. Swami Vivekananda says “Stand
and die in your own strength; if there is any sin in the world, it is weakness; avoid all weakness,
for
weakness
is
sin,
weakness
is
death”
Need of focus on Character : -
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6. The youth of today are mesmarised by the glamour of the West. There is disillusionment among
the youth about their career, goals, and purpose of life. The confusions can easily be removed if
they again look towards Swami Vivekananda. The solutions of the present day problems are
available in the speeches and writings of Swami ji. The youth has to be again re-charged with a
focus on character building. Swami Vivekananda says “Neither money pays, nor name pays, nor
fame, nor learning; it is CHARACTER that cleave through adamantine walls of difference”. I am
not asking to take the youth to a temple or to a mosque, I am suggesting that we have to enable
the youth to rediscover their capabilities. Swami Vivekananda says “He is an atheist who does
not believe in himself. The old religion said that he was an atheist who does not believe in God.
The new religion says that he is an atheist who does not believe in himself”
Depression of the Youth: A vast number of youth of today are suffering from drugs, alcohol, frustration and depression.
They are suffering from inferiority complex. People have repeatedly told them that they are
inferior to their counterparts from other countries. There is a need to rebuild their confidence,
pride and enable them to discover their potential. There is a need to impart confidence building
training, soft skills training, motivational training among the youth and enable them to regain
their lost confidence. Swami Vivekananda says “The greatest sin is to think yourself weak”
Karma Yoga- the Path for the Youth of today : We are witnessing massive unemployment today. The youth of today would sit at home and wait
for a job but will not come forward and take up a venture or a cause. They must activate their
potential and pick up a cause and work for some objective. They must read and understand the
theory of Karm-Yoga which can help them in solving their problems and which can encourage
them to put in their best efforts. Swami Vivekananda says “Are you unselfish? That is the
question. If you are, you will be perfect without reading a single religious book, without going
into a single church or temple.”Swami Vivekananda says “Misery comes through attachment, not
through work. As soon as we identify ourselves with work we do, we feel miserable; but if we
don’t
identify
ourselves
with
it,
we
do
not
feel
that
misery”
Massive environmental degradation and lack of appropriate technology: The modern science has destroyed eco-system with the environment and has introduced products
which are harmful to the environment. There is a need to look again towards nature with love
and care and re-invent appropriate technology. The youth can be re-oriented towards life and
technology and thus we can again find solutions to our problems through environment friendly
technologies. If we will care for environment, the environment will take care of us and tragedies
like Uttarakhand (2013) can be avoided. Swami Vivekananda says “Nature wants us to react, to
return blow for blow, cheating for cheating, lie for lie, to hit back with all our might, then it
requires a super divine power not hit back, to keep control, to be unattached”
Beyond Entrepreneurship ....
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7. Entrepreneurship doesnt mean doing business alone. A person can be an entrepreneur in your job
also. We use the word Intrapreneur for that. The important point is service, commitment,
dedication and willingness to perform the best. We must realize that our real challenge has
started now and we have to give the reins to the youth, and enable them to shape the future of
this great country. We have to let our youth realize the importance of service, because service to
the mankind, service to the downtrodden and service to the common masses is the real beginning
of the nation building. Swami Vivekananda says “Always first learn to be a servant, and then you
will be fit to be a master. Avoid this jealousy, and you will do great works that have yet to be
done”. I wish that the youth should start searching for their roles and goals and should take up
the cause for which the nation waits for them. Swami Vivekananda says “Arise! Awake! And
stop
not
till
the
goal
is
reached”
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