Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB/SP)

Udupi, Jan 21: Delivering the keynote address at the beginning of finals of the 'Teenovators 2016' conference held at Manipal Institute of Technology campus, Manipal here on Friday January 20, MP and chairman of standing committee on parliamentary affairs, Shashi Tharoor, said that India is the youngest country in the world going by the fact that it has highest number of youth power. He stressed that the country is ready for taking a big economic leap.

The programme was organized in association with INK.

"The government has prepared a scheme of providing opportunity to youngsters to guide the future of the country, aiming at setting up 11,000 new industries by 2020. Students should become creative and innovative, and come forward to undertake new inventions. Besides, they need to equip themselves with excellent communication skills to be able to withstand competition and succeed," he said.

"Although the World Bank had lots of expectations from India, the country has suffered temporary setback on account of currency demonetisation exercise. We have the chance to leave this behind and move forward. We will emerge as a financially strong country driven by the youth force," he predicted.

Tharoor said that as per current calculations, 32 percent of the country's population would be working by 2020 and the average age then will be 29. "This ratio will come down to five percent in China, whereas average age of Americans will be 40 and of Japanese, 47. India will have 50.1 percent of its population under the age of 25. As Korea and other countries are grappling with the problem dwindling youth power, the time is opportune for us to wrest the initiative and take advantage of the situation. For this to happen, India needs to lay emphasis on entrepreneurship, skill training, and education, he felt.

"Our GDP was over 20 percent during the period Aurangazeb ruled India. The percentage slipped miserably during the British era," Tharoor explained. He said it is difficult for honest people like him to live, as he has to maintain offices at two places and pay salary to his staff out of his income of Rs 50,000 as MP. He said he has been funding the expenditure through other avenues like book publications. "Politicians can work for the betterment of the country and achieve this goal if they are sincere," he felt, noting that nearly 90 percent of Indian populace is living below poverty line as of now.

Tharoor was impressed by the facilities offered by Manipal University campus and appreciated wide choices being offered to students to build their careers unlike in the past when he was a student. He re called that the new economic policy and globalization implemented in 1991 gave a thrust to the economic system of the country.

Director of MIT, Dr G K Prabhu, welcomed. Unvieristy registrar, Dr Narayan Sabhahit, presented report of the university, Assistant professor, Sheeba Davis, presented the programme. On this occasion, founder and chief executive officer of INK, Lakshmi Pratury, held discussions with Tharoor.