Key Points

Young people, particularly in semi-urban and rural areas, are far more inclined to enter public life," said Sachin Pilot, member of the Rajasthan Assembly, at the Jindal Leadership Series Lecture on the theme 'Gen Z, Politics Click, Share & Lead'. "Globally, there is a bit of a stepping back from professional politics. Unlike a country like the United States, there is a very interesting comparison in terms of democracies where entering into public life, including highly accomplished professionals, is something that many people aspire to," Pilot said.

Sachin Pilot is the General Secretary of the Congress Party; Member, Congress Working Committee, Member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, Former Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan, and Former Union Minister, Government of India. At 26 years of age, he was the youngest Member of Parliament when he won his first election in 2004 from the Dausa parliamentary constituency in Rajasthan.

He also explained the nature of leadership, especially for the youth of India. "Gen Z has had a natural interface with machines, technology, social media, and the internet. It's not something that is taught or that they learn; it's intrinsic to their nature. What we need to do is make sure that young minds are able to access different ideas. It is when you come to a campus like O.P. Jindal Global University and try to explore people who don't look like you, don't speak like you, or don't act like or dress like you, that's when you learn the most."

Touching upon the importance of diversity, Pilot said, "What's really important is to become an adult with tolerance and acceptance of different views, and where you can have differences. In your formative years, if you expand your horizons of tolerance, acceptance, listening, and hearing, it will make you a much better person as you get older. Leadership is when your opponents also accept you as a leader. To become a leader, it is important that once you are in a position of power, people must have faith in you. If you attach yourself to the sentiment of the people in the society, that's when leaders deliver the maximum impact. You have to connect and need to have integrity and truthfulness."

Speaking about 2047 and celebrating India's 100 years since Independence, he said, "As we head towards 2047, there are so many challenges. The biggest one is going to be how do we make, not just you, but the generation ahead of you, gainfully employed. For any country to move from the agrarian sector straight to the high-tech world of chipmaking and data science, and STEM is not easy. We missed the manufacturing cycle to a large extent. We have to now balance our next move so that we have a generation of people moving from the farm sector to the shop floor to manufacturing, and with AI, which will disrupt everything."

In his Welcome Address, Professor (Dr) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University, said, "Our university takes pride in the fact that it is a space for different opinions, fueling perspectives from different political thoughts, and where there is an opportunity for individuals to interact freely. In that spirit, we have been consistently bringing individuals from different walks of life and different political parties. With Sachin Pilot, you immediately develop a sense of hope for democracy. We sense his passion for governance and development. He has had a very distinguished career with strong academic qualifications, having studied at some of the leading institutions, including the Wharton School. He is an inspiration, especially for the students of JGU, as it allows them to think about the possibility of young people coming into public life. He belongs to that generation of young Indian politicians who embody passion, dedication, and commitment."

In her Introductory Remarks, Professor Ambreen Khan, Adjunct Professor of Practice, O.P. Jindal Global University, said, "It's my profound honour to introduce Sachin Pilot. He is a leader whose journey exemplifies the power of education, public service, and unwavering commitment to India's progress story. Pilot is often described by his political peers as a dynamic visionary and an ambitious politician who works towards upgrading the economic and social policies of the country. At a very young age, he decided to become part of the governance and public policy in various leadership roles."

The Concluding Remarks were given by Professor (Dr) Alok Pandey, Dean - Office of Career Services, who said, "The sitting General Secretary of the Congress Party (Sachin Pilot) is himself a leader for the Gen Z. Today, the space for debate is actually shrinking. But there is still hope. Especially the kind of queries that have come from JGU's Gen Z students themselves are overwhelming. They're not just demanding a space in terms of economy or jobs, but everything from corruption to change, as we have seen in the recent events in various countries."

The Presenter was Professor (Dr) Meenakshi Tomar, Vice Dean - Office of Career Services, O.P. Jindal Global University.

- IANS