A nice video put up by a YouTube user with the help of his sister. Good stuff.

Organizations such as Young Kerala, are a blessing to young entrepreneurs. But there are many challenges that need to be addressed. There has been a lot of talk about how “anti-entrepreneur” Kerala is, but nothing much has been done to address the real issue. There has been a lot of cribbing about how the educational system sucks. But people often tend to forget the part that they are also a part of the very system that they criticize.

One thing, that any young entrepreneur would require in the initial stages is definitely an improvement in the eco-system. It makes no sense to provide tools and resources to the budding entrepreneurs. We need to ensure that the eco-system they live in helps them blossom. We need to address the basic problems and find out solutions.

For a youngster, what he needs most is the support of his parents, teachers and peer group. Any Tom, Dick and Harry can find resources, tools and tips online. When there are globally renown people like Guy Kawasaki who blog and tweet about entrepreneurship, it doesn’t make any sense giving youngsters more resources and training. Instead, the need of the hour is to help them dream and think. “Dream, dream, dream, for dreams turn into thoughts and thoughts turn into actions” – Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Unfortunately, we do not have any proper entrepreneur development cell in most of the colleges and the few that have them, exist for namesake. Being students, who have grown up in a highly conservative community it does require lot of motivation to break the walls and think outside the box. Let us take the example of a student who is still pursuing his education. The first and only thing that he would require help is with his academics and attendance. Once that is settled, he can use the internet to find resources, tools and lessons that help him progress. When colleges and schools give ‘duty-leave’ for artists, sportsmen and industrial visits (a.k.a booze parties) there is nothing that they provide for young entrepreneurs (http://www.youngkerala.org/a-student-entrepreneur’s-notes/)

What we need to develop, is indeed, a culture of benevolence towards Kerala’s young people. Entrepreneurship development campaigns, magazines and classes are secondary. Let us hope that Young Kerala will address the real issues. However, a sea change is inevitable.

I really regret for taking engineering in one of India Today’s top 100 colleges of India (rank 97). The quality of education is sub standard. Here campus politics is strong, and teachers oppose the students participating in politics. So you can imagine the life of a student entrepreneur.

So after I landed up there, within a couple of weeks, I figured out this is not the place I wanted to be in. Why? Because I am a student of computer science and unfortunately there is no subject called Computer Science in the first year. This is very weird considering the fact that most people who complete engineering with decent marks end up in the IT industry. It is weirder because, I had computer Science right from my class 5 in school and do not have it in my engineering syllabus.

I am addicted to Computers. Naturally, I stopped attending lectures… for improving my … ahem … programming skills. I thought (and still believe) that it was a better thing to do than go to college and literally waste time talking to people and drinking milk shakes. But none of my teachers liked my way of thinking for reasons I am still not able to figure out. In fact, there were a couple of instances when teachers asked me to be “normal”.

Moving on to the second year, there were 4 computer science papers. Teachers were blabbering that we have moved on to our “core” subject and we should be more serious. For a few days I said to myself that things are getting better! Meanwhile, me and a good friend of mine, started off something where we used to design sites and code Wordpress themes for clients.

My attendance started to fall below the minimum required and I got an attendance shortage that year. Fortunately, my parents were able to understand me thanks to results in front of their own eyes. But unfortunately the teachers couldn’t. They started advising (once again) that all what I am doing can be done by anyone and I should concentrate more on my studies. I had a very tough time trying to convince them and in the end I gave up. None of them were even willing to help me or guide me, or point me to places from where I can get help. Instead they kept telling me to learn (meaning mug up) the architecture of the 8086 micro processor and the advantages of AC over DC (or was it the other way round). I confess that I was not regular at college, but that said I have to add that I obtained decent marks for the university exams.

Things moved from bad to worse in third year when teachers started advising again. Advice is free isn’t it? When it gets counterproductive, I began to wonder if there was something wrong with me. It was like all of them against me. Teachers would give me internal marks as low as 12 out of 50 (for the record, I cleared that paper!)

One day suddenly an “Enrepreneurship Development Cell” sprang out of nowhere in college and boy, I thought my day has finally come. I went and talked to the Principal about it.

Me: Sir, I came to know more about the EDC
Principal: It is there in our college, but it is not active. We do not have enough facilities for it and we know that our students won’t need it.
Me: Sir, I already have a business but I do not have the minimum required attendance (75%). It will be great if you can do something through the EDC.

He said he will consider it if my staff adviser agrees. I am excited and approach my adviser. I am surrounded by four other teachers asking me where I was the last two weeks. I was in Delhi to meet a client. They start telling (yet again) that all his can be done after college. One of them added “You have a CGPU unit here that has a good placement record. You can get a good job in Infosys or some good company like that.”

However, one teacher says we should encourage things like this and she comes with me to the Principal. When she recommends me, the Principal asks her, “do you mean we should give attendance for students who do their personal business? Then teachers can also go somewhere and then ask me for leave. We will follow University rules. I cannot help you sorry. It has to be either your business or your studies.”

This really upset me because when they can give attendance to people who go for dance competitions why not for people like me. He also says everyone cannot be Bill Gates and that I have to go through the system. I tell him that I flew down to College from Delhi to discover that there is a strike by teachers. He replies that all that is a part of the system and I have to live with it. Huh!

All this happens in a college where mechanical students come to class once in a while and still have 80% attendance on their records. This happens in a college where

• “young politicians” call strike at the drop of their hat.
• teachers do not care to stop their vehicle on seeing their student lying on the road after an accident.
• teachers have called strike against the administration. This happens in a college that is ranked A by the AICTE council.
• there are only 100 computers for 1600 students.
• there is no single playground.

At times I feel it is because of our educational system that our country has not been able to reach where it should have. We speak of our country being developed by 2020 but it will happen only if we have more youngsters who can dream like Narayana Murthy and Abdul Kalam.

Yes, I have totally lost faith in the current system.

As I am typing away, I am in a Coffee shop in Brigade Road, Bangalore waiting to see my US client, while my friends are writing the Semester 6 university exams.

Like every other thing only time can tell if I am right or wrong, but I believe that one day I will succeed. Young Kerala is big support system for people like me. I wish there was more support available

Tit Bits: Here is an interesting piece of info on why I stopped believing the university. I didn’t study for Advanced Maths exam (semester 5) and also had low internal marks of 21 out of 50 (read low attendance and no assignments). I still wrote the exam for the fun of it and got out in 30 minutes. I was sure I would flunk big time but the results surprised me. I got a whopping 97 out of 100. I am sure I didn’t attempt more than 5 questions. Whoa.

The first index of its kind offers an alarming insight into an unhappy younger generation, with more than one in ten (12 per cent) feeling that life is meaningless. More than a quarter (27 per cent) of 16 to 25-year-olds admitted they are “often” or “always” down or depressed.

The Young Kerala Youth Index, based on interviews with 700 young people across Kerala, reveals the state of their lives today and how confident they are about their future.

More than one in four (29 per cent) say they are less happy now than they were as a child and one in five (20 per cent) feels like crying “often” or “always”. Almost half (47 per cent) say they are regularly stressed.

Rajesh Venugopal, Chief Youth Supporter, said: “The survey reveals an increasingly vulnerable generation. We need to help steer young people away from false support systems such as drugs, alcohol and terrorist groups, giving them new direction.”

Invest in their well being

Young people in Kerala are increasingly stressed, depressed and unhappy.

In fact, one in five young people will experience a mental health problem and many more lack confidence, motivation and an effective support network.

“I have been through this saga myself and still face some muck in Kerala. We need to devise programs to get 15 to 24 year olds into volunteer jobs and training, to have a positive effect on overall wellbeing and keep them away from negative influences.” Rajesh says.

Through boosting young people’s confidence and motivation, we need to enable them to take positive steps towards getting a job. It may be a volunteer position in a relative’s business or a NGO. Being engaged and recognised can enhance their emotional health and wellbeing.

“I took to helping my mother’s brothers in computer programming in their office when I was around 20. Perhaps this helped me stay focussed and get recognition from my elders. But these are luck by chance not because my Uncles wanted to keep me engaged and invest in my well being.” We need to spread the message of a Young Person’s emotional well being for him to be healthy and productive and stay away from anti social or negative activities.

A person who argues in favour of the hippo on wheels can be seen in the museum. Similarly, a person with an ambassador in his brain will never be fully functional.

As time progressed, liberalisation followed the Indian consumer progressed from his Chetak to Maruti 800 to Maruti 1000 to Esteem and then Cielo, Lancer and now a deluge of top class cars. We used this opportunity to flaunt rather than introspect and embrace what these cars were actually an output of.

These products were an output of the following inputs – thought leadership, investment in ideas, research and development, total quality management, risk, change management, breaking barriers, great supplier relationships or great human relationships.

How are human rights defined in the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 ?

In terms of Section 2 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 “human rights” means the rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual guaranteed under theConstitution or embodied in the International Covenants and enforceable by courts in India. “International Covenants” means the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights adopted by the General Assembly of the Unitednations on the 16th December, 1966.

So if you have been oppressed by members who ostracise you due to their seniority in age – they are putting you at disadvantage, beating up your self esteem, your ability to focus on positive outcomes and become a productive member of the Society. Speak up your mind, be bold and fearless. Set an example.

What comes to your mind if you think of Resul Pookutty ? He makes Malayalees proud. Oh yeah. Yes, he was aspirational.

So he left Kerala, worked from Bombay to achieve the success he deserved. My question is would he or any one else achieve the scale of his success in a change resistant society that we have.

Big names in the filmdom mostly live in Chennai, both Mohanlal and Mammootty did that too to get to where they are today. Is it about networking or a sheer lack of local initiative of national and international appeal ?

Yes, he chose an alternate career and sure his scale of success is very huge. And then they make it big, Keralites adopt them. They even trace a malayalee gene in any one who makes it big outside Kerala.

When will Kerala look inward and create an ecosystem for such success stories.

Abdullakutty came in news recently for being suspended from his Party. His crime was he was all of 41, first generation without godfathers and his views modern and progressive.

Why is Kerala a society which suppresses young leaders?

Elephants are wild animals. Feudal traditions meant that displaying wealth, status and pomp by owning elephants and bringing them up to local temples. In those days, Hummer was not available. Today, we have Television, internet, FM radio’s, Multiplexes and bowling alleys for entertainment. Temple festivals need not have fireworks and elephants to attract people. These animals are ill treated, unable to bear the heat, made to walk on tar roads. There has been at least one incident a day of elephants running amok since the temple festival season began in 2009. And this has been going on for ages and media just reports it like an interesting news. Its time someone does some thing about this. This age old tradition needs to change.

Media picked up only the negative side of Rahul’s speech. The core message he had was that the Youth of Kerala must wake up and take a leadership role in society.