Statistics prove that India’s potential to emerge as an economic and a socially responsible power in the next three decades rests on the Indian youth. That 47 per cent of Indians are under the age of 20 and 10 per cent of the world population is an Indian under 25 is a common assessment of India by all countries now. What’s more, this predominance of youth in the population is expected to last until 2050. The BRIC Report by Goldman Sachs predicts that the economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China would become larger forces over the next 50 years and mentions that India’s economy could be larger than Japan’s by 2032, that the combined GDP of the BRIC countries would cross that of the G6 by 2039 and that India could show the fastest growth in the next 30 years.
This fastest growth over the next three decades will prove to be the biggest opportunity for India, and especially its youth, whose potential needs to be harnessed rightfully and beyond boundaries. India’s youth have a very unique advantage, a combination of mobility, language, education, a thirst for knowledge and a technology-savvy nature, qualities that will drive the nation’s growth in the coming years. What the youth can expect in the years to come will depend on how well they understand and leverage their rights and how willingly and efficiently they are able to shoulder their responsibilities.
It is in this realm that the role of AIESEC becomes most relevant. AIESEC is the world’s largest youth-run organisation that focuses on providing a platform for youth leadership development through its foreign internship programmes by offering young people the opportunity to be global citizens and to get experience and skills that matter today.
Each year, the organisation provides over 10,000 AIESEC members the challenging opportunity to live and work in a foreign country in areas of management, technology, education, and development. The aim is to provide the world society with leaders who are entrepreneurial, culturally sensitive, socially responsible and take an active part in their own learning.
Says Adhiraj Singh, an AIESEC member: “I was in Novosibirsk, Russia for an AIESEC internship of six weeks. This was an experience I can truly call life changing. I participated in a project called Siberian Summer outbreak. I represented my country as a cultural ambassador, took many sessions on India, attended various speaking clubs, conducted workshops, interacted with people and organized Global Village. In this internship, I attended one international conference and an adventure camp in the Siberian Mountains. From speaking about India to rafting in the Siberian rapids to random bus trips, I did it all.”
A similar euphoria is expressed by fellow AIESECer Ashmeet Singh who describes his internship in Ukraine: “The time I spent in Ivano-Frankivsk was full of fun and emotions, as I discovered a new culture totally different from mine, made new friends who will remain in my heart forever. I went there with no expectations and came back with lots of beautiful memories to cherish. I travelled to four different places in Ukraine, including Odessa, Lviv, Yaramcha and Crimea, thoroughly enjoyed my work and came back a changed person!”
It’s an undisputed fact that if you can get such an exposure in your teens itself, it can be a life-altering experience. Sample what the 19-year-old Jaya Sukul has to say: “I got to travel to Bursa, Turkey for an AIESEC internship. Not only did I get an opportunity to travel and work overseas, I worked with people double my age and even taught people who were much older. I found myself to be a part of a Turkish family and made so many friends from all over the world. I learned a new thing at the end of everyday and found myself a changed person after my AIESEC internship. I learnt that it’s not about what we are doing but about how we are doing it.”
What makes an AIESEC internship truly unique is that it lets you experience the country not as a mere tourist but as a person living in that country. This year too AIESEC in Delhi University aims to facilitate 1000 international internships and provide student of DU the opportunity to work abroad for corporate and social, developmental and educational sector clients. Apart from gaining diverse experiences, the exchange student will get a stipend as well.
So what are you waiting for? Join the exciting world of AISECers today!
For more details on membership and recruitment, log on to www.aiesec.org