Many of us must have heard of the India Stack story. Aadhaar, Bank Account penetration, and Mobile phone adoption have laid the foundations for substantial technology led development, opening the doors for applications and use cases which would have been incredibly difficult to achieve otherwise.
These interventions wouldn't have been possible without other investments in infrastructure like roads and highways. That's another layer of the story.
But, there is the other India stack too. One that is not about technology or infrastructure but about human potential. It's our youth, their aspirations, and their change making ability. As individuals, as part of families, as community members, as colleagues, as employees, and as citizens - it is the momentum that they carry with them that drives India forward. They carry on their young shoulders enormous responsibility to not only make a future for themselves, but also help others cross the bridge.
Perhaps its always been the case and there is nothing new to say here - but maybe the pace of modern day technology carries a different sort of burden? How would you describe a 12 year old school going child who knows how to operate a smart phone better than his daily wage working parents? A young tribal student who takes responsibility for onboarding all the ladies in his village on a DBT scheme? The engineer who has made his way back to the village to start an e-governance franchise chain?
We don't have to go to the village or down the pyramid - most of us have had this experience at home. We have played a part in the technology inclusion of elders at home (we may regret it sometimes with the swarm of Whatsapp messages and Facebook pokes). It takes patience and understanding. My mother continues to surprise me constantly by how much she knows and how little she knows while dealing with her smartphone and tech.
A lot of attention is spent on formal systems, services, and structures focused on digital inclusion of people - something we need for the India Stack story to continue blooming. And rightly so. It would be great however to also focus some attention on how best to leverage the potential of change making by youth in informal settings - starting with home. Can we make the youth genuine participants in nation building? Or do we lose the opportunity to PubG, Poker, Porn, and Posts where the charm of likes and rewards outshines the burdens of responsibility?
Activate Innovation Ecosystems | Tech Ambassador | Founder of Alchemy Crew Ventures + Scouting for Growth Podcast | Chair, Board Member, Advisor | Honorary Senior Visiting Fellow-Bayes Business School (formerly CASS)
7moIndia's JAM trinity showcases digital progress amidst obstacles.