“We must not for a moment forget, it is a birthright of every individual to receive at least the basic education without which he cannot fully discharge his duties as a citizen.”
— Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

On 11 September 2008, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) decided to observe November 11 as National Education Day annually. It commemorates the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first education minister of independent India, who served from 15 August 1947 until 2 February 1958. On National Education Day, educational institutions conduct seminars, symposia, essay-writing, elocution competitions, workshops, rallies, poster campaigns, etc., to create awareness about the importance of education.

A freedom fighter, scholar and educationist, Maulana Azad was one of the key architects of independent India. He was responsible for setting up top education bodies like the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The first Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Kharagpur, was established by him. He also set up the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) to promote education and culture in the country.

Maulana Azad was responsible for improving the literacy rate of India by making the education system strong post-independence when the entire nation was suffering from widespread illiteracy. He put emphasis on higher education and vocational training for all the citizens of the country. He asserted: “Educationists must build the capacities of the spirit of inquiry, creativity and entrepreneurial and moral leadership among students and become their role model.”

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Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

On 2 October, we remember Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of our Nation. We honour and pay our respects to him for giving India a reason to fly high in freedom. He fought for our freedom with the novel weapons of non-violent protests and adherence to truth and ahimsa. His strength lay in the fact that he was the message; he walked the talk, he preached what he practised, and lived what he taught. The mighty British imperial powers shuddered at his presence, not because he owned any mass weapon of destruction, but because he wielded enormous moral power in his personality.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

India celebrates the birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as National Ekta Din. Patel, born in Nadiad, Kheda district of Gujarat on 31 October 1875, was a successful barrister and a senior Congress leader. He was one of the most prominent figures of the Indian freedom movement.

Patel was not keen to join politics after his return from England with his law degree. But everything changed when he met Gandhi in 1917. On Gandhi’s call, Patel quit his hard-earned job, joined the Congress party and the movement to fight for exemption of taxes in Kheda at the time of the plague and famine in 1918.

Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was an illustrious aerospace scientist and statesman who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. Born on 15 October 1931 at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, “The Missile Man of India” is also known as “The Man who Ignited a Billion Minds”. He was one of India’s most popular presidents who opened the presidential palace to the common people of India and earned the title of “People’s President”.

Humble as he was, he demystified the office of the President and mingled with ordinary people, especially with children and youth. He had a style of his own when he spoke to children about dreaming big and helped ignite their minds.

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The celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav on 15 August 2022 is truly a proud moment for us. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav means elixir of energy of independence, elixir of inspirations of the warriors of freedom struggle, elixir of new ideas and pledges, and elixir of Aatmanirbharta. Therefore, this Mahotsav is a festival of awakening of the nation; a festival of fulfilling the dream of good governance; and the festival of global peace and development.”

We took a written interview with students across the country who expressed their views about the nation.

Ruju Aporva Shah, a student of Carmel School, Malad, Mumbai, says: “India today can’t disappoint me. It has given me an education, a beautiful environment, a wonderful society, the chance to live in the city of dreams and most of all, a supportive family. However, I do get worried about deforestation, anti-social activities, corruption, poverty, expensive education, excessive number of factories, etc. We need to take collective steps to wipe out such unwanted activities from our nation.”

Diya Jannath, a student of Jyothi Nivas Public School, Aluva, Kerala, states that if she is given the power to govern this country her priorities would be: “To promote unity, facilitate peace and spread love among all Indians. I will respect the beliefs, values and practices of all communities and make sure that everyone gets equal opportunities.”

Swarup Suresh Chavan, a student of Kamalnayan Bajaj School, Chinchwad, Pune, has listed the following five priorities to make India a better nation: 1) Form policies to remove caste system and the discrimination of people on the basis of class, caste, race, gender, religion, etc. 2) To ensure no dearth of experienced teachers and infrastructural facilities in schools. 3) Ensure the safety and proper health care of women. In this way, the female mortality rate can be reduced, and the sex ratio can be improved. 4) Address sanitation and hygiene issues. By keeping our country clean we can avoid many health problems. 5) Eradicate poverty by generating employment opportunities for poor people, ensuring at least two square meals a day.

Shreya Chakraborty, a student of St Pauls College, Bengaluru, has some innovative suggestions to make India a better place: “In India, as a fast-growing and large democracy, human capital is the driving force behind our future growth. India must significantly invest in healthcare and education to leverage its demographic dividend. Ayushman Bharat is a big step towards easing the healthcare burden on poor households. But to improve health outcomes, equal emphasis must be placed on the schemes of other objectives — of improving primary health infrastructure at local levels. Scaling up this initiative would require expanding and strengthening primary health infrastructure, enforcing quality standards and conducting periodic audits.”

Shainillah Jabbar Mansuri, a student of Duruelo Convent School, Bandra, Mumbai, has her role cut out if she is given the power to make changes: “At first, I would form policies to remove the caste system. Thus, discrimination of people on the basis of caste, class, gender and religion can be eliminated from our society. Then I would give priority to sanitisation issues. We can reduce health problems only by keeping our environment clean.”

Riya S. Timothy, a student of St Francis de Sales School, Nallasopara, Maharashtra, has kept education as her priority: “I would definitely make considerable changes in our education system and make education not only quantitative but also qualitative, thereby focusing on the integral development of a child. I would try to introduce new employment schemes even for illiterate people so that they can earn their livelihood.”

The youth of India have spoken. They represent a force that is restless but hopeful, disturbed yet innovative, unhappy but determined. Let these young minds join forces to create an India which is more harmonious, democratic and just, where development is the key word and where everyone will be able to live in peace, harmony and fraternity. Happy Birthday to India@75!

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India completes 75 years of independence from colonial rule on 15 August 2022. This day is being celebrated as Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav with great patriotic spirit all over the country. On India@75, we remember our long and arduous journey to freedom, the many thousands of unsung heroes whose valiant sacrifices have made freedom a reality for us. We salute the memory of those martyrs who laid down their lives at the altar of freedom. We remember and pay homage to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, who led from the front with the noble weapons of non-violence and satyagraha. We salute other great leaders of our freedom movement — Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Subhas Chandra Bose, Bal Gangadhara Tilak and many more.

Achievements of India@75

At the time of attaining freedom, sceptics predicted a gloomy and dangerous future for India where anarchy and fascism would rule. They have been proved wrong by our efficiently-managed democratic institutions, including the world’s biggest electoral process, although it has its weaknesses. Over the past seven-and-a-half decades of history, India has registered phenomenal success in many areas of life. There are remarkable improvements in the areas of science and technology, space mission, etc. We have grown into a vibrant democracy. We have one of the best armed forces in the world which have always remained as our guardian from external forces as well as natural disasters.

Agriculture: The green revolution of 1966 gave a massive impetus to India’s agricultural production. Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for about 58% of India’s population. The agriculture sector employs nearly half of the workforce in the country. India is the world’s second-largest producer of rice, wheat, sugarcane, cotton, groundnuts and fruits and vegetables. It is the largest producer of milk in the world. In 2013, India contributed 25% to the world’s pulses production, the highest for any one country; 22% to rice production and 13% to wheat production.

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“Dr Ambedkar communicates to me the self-respect, the intolerance of injustice, and the voice of those who were broken and ground down, but who now struggle against social and economic oppressions.”
— David Mosse, Head, Department of Anthropology, SOAS University, London

Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar is remembered as one of the most respected and revered leaders India has ever produced. To the young and old alike, he is an icon of equality, fraternity and social justice. He advocated politics with values, democracy with fraternity, and religion with social responsibility.

Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was born on 14 April 1891 at Mhow, in the Central Province (presently Madhya Pradesh). He was the fourteenth and the last child of Ramji Maloji Sakpal and Bhimabai Sakpal. Bhimrao was a brilliant student who earned two doctorates in Economics from the prestigious Columbia University and the London School of Economics. He was a well-known statesman, ambitious leader, erudite economist, expert jurist, dynamic journalist, brilliant scholar, prolific writer and social reformer, all capsuled into one. As the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution, he was its principal architect. He championed the cause of the Dalits, women, the poor and other socially backward people of India.

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“I have always believed in the power of an individual, and more specifically youth. It is often said that the future lies in the hands of youth. Well, I believe even the present is not in the best hands if youth is not involved.”
~ Sanjoli Banerjee

Imagine a person earning the tag of an ‘activist’ at the age of four and half! Sanjoli Banerjee became a social activist when she asked these bitter questions: What is female foeticide? Why isn’t there male foeticide? Why do people support the killing of my unborn sister? Her young mind was disturbed deeply by the fact that her little sister’s life was being threatened as her mother was being pressurised to go for an abortion because she was expecting a second daughter. Many acquaintances of the Banerjee family thought that a second daughter would be a burden to the family. A son would, on the contrary, bring honour and prosperity; he would grow up to take care of the parents; he would do the last rites, and he wouldn’t have to leave home after getting married! So, the best way out is to abort the baby in the womb, and try again for a boy!

But four and half-year-old Sanjoli was already ignited with the fire of passion for gender equality; she stood up to those who wanted to kill her little sister for her gender in the womb of her mother. Fortunately, unlike many parents in India, Sanjoli’s parents answered her questions honestly rather than shrugging them off. Her father gradually guided her to the path of activism. Her mother, defying the pressures from society, stood like a rock to save her unborn baby and delivered a beautiful bundle of joy, Ananya, little sister to Sanjoli.

Thus began the journey of activist-changemaker Sanjoli Banerjee. The birth of her little sister gave her a purpose in life. “Since then, I have fought many fights, big and small, against female foeticide, for environmental protection, for mental and menstrual hygiene, and for empowerment through education. I continue to work through my NGO Sarthi,” she says.

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In 1984, the Government of India declared that National Youth Day would be celebrated every year on 12 January, the birthday of Swami Vivekananda. National Youth Day is celebrated to focus on the development and protection of youth in society. The Government announced, “The philosophy of Swamiji and the ideals for which he lived and worked could be a great source of inspiration for Indian Youth Day.”

Youth are the backbone of any nation. They are the pillars of strength that contribute to national growth. National Youth Day is observed all over India in schools and colleges with processions, speeches, music, youth conventions, seminars, presentations, competitions, recitations and sports. Swami Vivekananda’s writings and speeches are presented by youngsters to motivate and encourage themselves. The day is observed to inspire young people to follow in Swami Vivekananda’s footsteps and adopt his ideals and way of life. It is an excellent method to reawaken the inexhaustible vitality of youngsters while also advancing the development of the nation. The final aim is to have a country full of responsible youngsters.

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“Let me go back to a fundamental thing we all used to agree on: information is power. That’s why we became journalists in the first place.”
~ Maria Ressa

Maria Ressa of Philippines is one of the recipients of the 2021 Nobel Prize for Peace, the other being Dmitry Muratov of Russia. What is special about this year’s Nobel Peace Prize is that it is after a wait of 86 years that this most prestigious prize comes to journalists. The last Nobel Peace Prize won by a journalist was way back in 1935, by a German named Carl Von Ossietzky for his “burning love for freedom of thought and expression” after revealing that the Nazi regime was secretly rearming in breach of the World War I peace accord. In a world filled with half-truths, lies and hatred, the award this year reiterates the core values of freedom, courage, truth, peace and fraternity.

Maria Ressa used freedom of expression to expose abuse of power, use of violence and growing authoritarianism in her native country, the Philippines. In 2012 she co-founded Rappler, a digital media company for investigative journalism. She has shown herself to be a fearless champion and defender of freedom of expression. Through Rappler, she fought against the government’s dangerous and controversial drug policy. The anti-drug campaign of the regime was so murderous that so many people lost their lives as if the government was at war against its own people. She questioned the government policy head-on, as she says, “Any journalist who asked critical questions, anyone on social media who questioned about the extrajudicial killings was bombarded with abuse, threats of violence, death threats from trolls and bots and these fake Facebook accounts.”

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Our founder speaks through his books

For The Teenager Today family, comprising of its readers, patrons, printers, publishers and the staff, the name J. MAURUS is an icon of vision, inspiration and motivation. He founded the magazine in 1963 with the intention of motivating and inspiring youngsters of every generation thence. Today, even after 58 years of its existence, the vision and the mission envisaged by J. Maurus continue to guide and motivate the publishers and readers of The Teenager Today. As he left us for his eternal reward on 1 February 2018, we believe his invisible presence and his blessings from heaven continue to energize us. We salute him on the 58th anniversary of the foundation of The Teenager Today, and we pledge once again to march on with his legacy of motivating young people to dream big and dream differently.

Attitude
“When you change your attitude, you change your life, your thinking, the way you act, the way you feel.”
(Power of Positive Attitude, page 28)

Home
“Home is a magic place where desires become reality.”
(Be Smart, Be You!, page 22)

Risk
“Take risks. Forget yourself into greatness; empty yourself into adventure, lose yourself into immortality.”
(Power of Positive Attitude, page 31)

Hard work
“Hard work is the best investment you can make.”
(Be Smart, Be You! page 80)

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Gandhiji led India to the dawn of Indian independence through a long struggle against the colonial powers. He inspired, guided, challenged and led millions of Indians to join the struggle for freedom, not with weapons of mass destruction and a gun-wielding army, but with the weapons of truth, non-violence and peace. Even when the conditions were oppressive and the challenges insurmountable, Gandhiji remained steadfastly committed to the weapon of non-violence for his struggle for freedom.

Gandhiji believed that it is irrational and self-contradictory to use violence to achieve the goal of a peaceful society. He therefore encouraged massive civil disobedience movements like the Salt March of 1930 and the Quit India Movement of 1942 which, according to him, were a just means to achieve just ends. He strongly believed that violence and hatred were not just a means for winning freedom.

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