With YOLO Talks we aim to create a more interactive and unbiased space for having insightful discussions, which will, in turn, be easily accessible from all parts of the country. We hosted:
Youth Opportunities and Leadership
Ashish Shukla (Co-founder/Managing Director of Chhanv Foundation), Ritu Saini - (Acid Attack Survivor & Stop Acid Attacks “SAA” Campaigner) & Anshu Rajput- Reach-Out Associate and SAA Campaigner
Short Bio:
The Chhanv foundation works for the welfare of acid attack survivors and looks after their medical treatment, conducts educational programs, and has rehabilitation centers to make them independent. The live session primarily focused on the objective and activities of the Chhanv foundation as well as inspiring stories of young acid attack survivors who battled the purple patch and came up in life.
“Criticisms, hardships, and struggles will intensify and cries will go unheard. But not always, not for long. Justice is there, it’s important to live through to see it.”
The Chhanv foundation works for the welfare of acid attack survivors and looks after their medical treatment, conducts educational programs, and has rehabilitation centers to make them independent. The live session primarily focused on the objective and activities of the Chhanv foundation as well as inspiring stories of young acid attack survivors who battled the purple patch and came up in life. Mr. Shukla gave a brief account of how the organization originated in 2013 through the Stop Acid Attacks campaign. Ms. Anshu Rajput, an acid attack survivor, narrated her painful yet inspirational story and spoke of her battles with the family, village, and the society in order to come up in life after the acid attack. Ms. Ritu Sain, another acid attack survivor, took over and expressed her views with regard to approaching life as she stated that a beautiful heart is eternal and the beauty of the face fades away with age.
Short Bio:
Mr. Suresh Prabhu is a six-time Member of Parliament and has held various portfolios in the Cabinet in the Government of India. He discussed the idea of Young India Manifesto and its visions, goals, and responsibilities. He also talked about social media and Youth’s Importance in the process of nation building.
“A young man in today’s world is like a plant, who can only grow into a tree and keep others in his shade when nurtured properly.”
He says that with the manifesto, every youngster would get equal opportunity, and in turn would be fruitful to the nation itself, as youth are the building blocks of our country. He emphasised on the importance of using social media effectively for social change.
Sh. Prabhu feels that social media is an extremely powerful tool which can be used to promote welfare in the society, and urges people to not use it as a weapon of destruction. He also believes that every youngster should pursue whatever the individual aspires to do in life and emphasizes that equal opportunities must be allowed to people irrespective of their gender. Shri Suresh Prabhu also spoke of the rights and responsibilities of the youngsters and gave an insight into how an individual can carry out their prime duties by keeping the nation first, focusing on society’s progress, and taking forward human values.
Kunal Sarangi is a technocrat turned young politician from the state of Jharkhand. He is a state spokesperson for a political party in the Indian state of Jharkhand. He was a former member of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly from Baharagora from 2014 to 2019. He spoke about the importance of education in today’s world and the future of youth in politics.
Mr. Saryu Roy is an Indian politician, who was formerly a political leader in Bihar and Jharkhand. He is known for his crusade against corruption. He spoke about Youth Leadership and our team learned a great deal from him.
Dr. Purnima Chauhan is an ex-IAS officer, Himachal Pradesh 2000 batch. She was posted as Secretary Administrative Reforms and Language, Art & Culture Shimla, Government of Himachal Pradesh, and was given an additional post of Secretary Youth Services & Sports & Fisheries Shimla, Government of Himachal Pradesh. She graced the Talk with her extensive knowledge on the arts, culture and heritage of Himachal Pradesh.
Dr. Jigar Inamdar Regional Director cum Consultant of Indian Council of Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs. He also holds the position of Member of Syndicate and Member of the Senate of Elected from donors constituency, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. In his Talk, he majorly focused on the importance of Youth Leadership.
Dr. Sitikantha Mishra is an advisor cum Dean of Hospitality and Tourism Management, SOA (Deemed to be University). He spoke on career opportunities in tourism and hospitality sectors in post- pandemic scenario.
Mr. Kumar is the recipient of the President's Medal for Gallantry (Veerta Puraskar) for killing Abu Hamza, Commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba. He has been part of more than 30 encounters in J&K and Naxal affected areas of Chhattisgarh and Odisha. He also led forces in the execution of Afzal Guru. He spoke to us about the importance of Youth Leadership and shed light on his career in CRPF.
Mr. Ardiansyah is the Project Manager at International Global Network, an NGO based in Indonesia which focuses on youth development. He spoke about his organization and opportunities for youth in skill development.
Mr. Tankha is a Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India and a Member of Parliament. He was one of the youngest Advocate Generals of Madhya Pradesh and was designated Senior Advocate by the Full Court of the High Court in 1999. He was also the first lawyer from Madhya Pradesh to have been appointed Additional Solicitor General of India. He spoke on the opportunities in the legal profession in the post-pandemic world.
Social Media for Social Change and Online Safety
Short Bio: Mrs. Usha Laxman is the daughter-in-law of a renowned late Indian cartoonist R.K Laxman and has launched numerous projects like opening of the Cartoon Academy and R.K Laxman Art Museum. In the session, she discussed the importance of cartoons as a medium of social change.
“The pen is not a sword, it’s a friend.”
Mrs. Laxman leads the R. K. IPR Foundation, founded by great cartoonist RK Laxman who was world-famous for his cartoons, particularly for his common man character. Usha Laxmanji is his daughter-in-law and has also launched numerous projects like opening of the Cartoon Academy and R.K Laxman Art Museum. She discussed the importance of cartoons as a medium of social change. YOLO, with the blessing of Mrs. Usha Laxman and in collaboration with the RK Laxman IPR Foundation will be celebrating Laxman Legacy Month. We’ll be sharing Laxman’s cartoons to provide engaging content to the general public through social media.
Dr. Pavan Duggal is the Founder and Owner of Pavan Duggal Associations and Head - Artificial Intelligence Law Hub. He is also Founder and Chairman of the International Commission on Cyber Security Law, and the President of CyberLaws.Net. In this session he talked about Cyber-crimes and Cyber-security laws.
Dr. Bhagyashree Manohar Pandey is an educationist and the current I/C Principal of Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University’s New Law College,Pune. With an academic experience of over 26 years, she talked about the unique challenges that Covid19 has brought for the students as well as the teachers.
Ms. Neha Joshi is the National Media Co-Incharge of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. In addition to being a young politician, she is a development professional with a Social Work Degree from Washington University. She talked about the increasing fake news and hate speech, along with a short dialogue on the #MeToo movement.
Ms. Charu Pragya is a renowned lawyer-politician, VC of National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and the National Incharge (Legal) of Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha. She is one of the most prominent and well known young leaders, and also a member of the Australia-India Youth Dialogue. She spoke about the fake news attacks and the power of social media in the modern times.
Mr. Kshitij Naikade is the deputy director and assistant professor at Symbiosis Law School, Pune. He joined us and discussed an educationist's perspective on the privacy debate vis-à-vis online space.
North East Matters
Ms. Swati Bidhan Baruah (First Transgender Judge to be appointed to Assam Judiciary) A conversation focusing on the evolving future of transgenders in India
“Gender is physical, but what we forget is that it’s also a state of mind.”
Ms. Baruah is the first transgender judge to be appointed to the Assam Judiciary and the third in the Indian Judiciary. She is a transgender activist and also the Founder and Chairperson of All Assam Transgender Association. She spoke to us about transgender rights and activism. Ms. Baruah gave a perceptive talk about the struggles that she endured as a transgender person in society and how her profession helped voicing her beliefs on behalf of the transgender community. Ms. Baruah stated that the youth could play a significant role in spreading awareness about the gender variants that exist in our country using social media platforms to sensitize the movement every week to bring about an impact in the minds of the masses. She also emphasized the need for parents to understand and support the choices of their children about the gender that they believe themselves to be.
Mr. Shanavas is an IAS officer hailing from Kerala. Currently he is the Principal Director of School Education, Kohima, Nagaland. He focused on the current state of digital education, and also on people’s life struggles in Nagaland.
Sh. Robin Hibu is the Special Commissioner of Police, IPS (AGMUT Cadre, 1993) and a pride of our nation. He has received numerous accolades and awards including 2 President of India Police Medals and 2 UN Peace Medals. He was on YOLO Talks wherein he shared his personal journey and also spoke about the injustices and discrimination that many North Eastern citizens still have to face.
Adil Hussain is a social activist, an academician and an actor of international renown. He is celebrated for his works in Indian cinema, including art house cinema and mainstream Bollywood, as well as international cinema.With us, Mr. Hussain emphasized that art should play the role of adhesion and unite culturally diverse people.
Mr. Amo is the SP of Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, and the recipient of Police Meritorious Service Medal, 50th Independence Day Medal by MHA, President's Indian Police Medal for meritorious service, Diamond North East Award by All India Journalist Union, and Internal Security Medal for Counter Insurgency Operations in Arunachal Pradesh by MHA. He spoke on the role of administration in social change.
Dr. Neeru Mishra is the former Director of Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs. She was National Coordinator UNDP, Delhi and has authored 9 books on Art and Cultural Heritage. In her talk, she spoke extensively on the cultural realities of the inhabitants of Manipur.
Dr. Alana Golmei is a social activist and a lawyer with the spirit of a humanist. She is the General Secretary of Northeast Support Centre & Helpline based in New Delhi, which was launched with the aim to prevent harassment, discrimination, molestation and abuses meted out to people from North East India living in Delhi and its NCR particularly women. She discussed the discrimination against north eastern people in India and why such discrimination should be condemned.
Copyright © 2020 YOLO. All Rights Reserved.