The rise of youth leadership and its impact

By Shreya Ghosh

“He doesn’t have much experience managing an organisation. Do you think he can be ready for a job?”

This is a phrase we hear more frequently in organisations when looking to fill vacancies. Some people forget that the youth are the strength behind building a prosperous nation. A new era begins by breaking this chain. Leadership starts with young stars who are not just opting for jobs but are rejecting them to build their own empires. They go beyond seeking new creations, embarking on new ventures to ensure survival in innovative ways. This generation is dedicated to making a better India tomorrow. They have built new businesses and are making a significant impact on the success of their companies. Their impressive achievements confirm the saying, “Age is just a number.”

It is high time for fostering a young India. For the upcoming generation, this new opportunity has already been opened up by young leaders who provide inspiration to pursue one’s own goals and create something on their own.

Adar Poonawalla, CEO and Executive Director of the Serum Institute of India, is the most prominent role model for leading young India toward a better tomorrow. He joined Serum Institute at the age of 20 as the son of Cyrus Poonawalla. Now, at 35, he has made the organisation even more successful.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when there was a vaccine crisis, the Serum Institute rapidly scaled up its production of COVID vaccines to meet global demand and started manufacturing the Covishield vaccine in India in collaboration with AstraZeneca. We all know how Covishield came to our rescue like a marvel of science. Adar Poonawalla demonstrated his legacy through the development of Covishield. He proves that a young leader is an ideal force for shaping a better tomorrow.

Apart from this, there are other success stories of three young leaders. Three young entrepreneurs, Rishikesh S R, Pavan Guntupalli, and Aravind Sanka, the founders of Rapido, which is now one of the fastest-growing ride-sharing companies in India. Additionally, there’s Ritesh Agarwal, the founder of OYO Rooms, who became the CEO at the age of 23. Beyond them, there are countless idols who demonstrate that young leadership goes beyond age constraints. These young leaders understand the future and have the ability to shape it in innovative ways.

This is why American writer James A. Michener said, “A nation becomes what its young people read in their youth. Its ideals are fashioned then, and its goals are strongly determined.” Young leaders are the future leaders of our nation, the ones who will drive economic growth.