DIYA decoded.

Here is a set of questions which I attempted to answer for DIYA's (Divine India Youth Association) souvenir as a member of DIYA. I intend to publish this to patronize this exceptional movement which envisions an all-round developed India by making the ebullient Indian prime rise and shine to the supremacy and enabling them to spring up as a highly valuable asset for this nation by harnessing their prodigious potential and channelizing it towards the righteous path.

-- When did you join DIYA?:

I am affiliated with DIYA movement since its inception in January, 2009.

-- How did you come to know about DIYA (Source)?

I was made aware of DIYA by an in-depth article published in a periodical named 'Akhand Jyoti' run by 'Gayatri Parivaar'. (Gayatri Parivaar is a non-profit organization which is engaged in propagating Indian spiritual culture and a school of thought leading to spiritual welfare of an individual and the society). Further, the active volunteers of DIYA took me in the mainstream.

-- What made you join DIYA (Anything special about DIYA)?

What hits me about DIYA is its youth based ideology and the credo of rationality accompanied with sublimeness.

DIYA is absolutely an open minded platform. Its ideology is liberal yet spiritual. It complies with the modern way of scientific thinking of the west taking together the eastern spiritual wisdom. It is endowed with a holistic approach and pure rationalism forms the basis of its doctrine.

I consider this as a perfect approach towards fulfillment of the objective of harnessing the youth potential and channelize it towards the path of national development.

-- What change do you find in your overall personality after joining DIYA? Pls elaborate

My affiliation with this movement has marked two major shifts in my personality.

Firstly, it has laid the foundation of certain human qualities within me and has established a school of thought which has made me more sensitive towards social and humanitarian issues. It has developed within me a sense of connectedness to the larger world. The movement has directed my thinking towards forming constructive and innovative solutions to the entangled problems of the society prevailing in today's scenario.

Secondly, various activities have provided opportunities to nurture certain excellent skills. Communication, sharp and quick decision making, planning and analytical thinking are the topmost among them. Organizing and implementing various projects invariably require these skills. I am sure that the experience gained is going to help in my career of management.

-- What role does/ did DIYA play in your life?

When one is out to bring a social change, one has to change one's own self. For example, before I advise someone to use reusable bags, I am the one who has to practice it. Thus, I have started making holistic choices in my life.

Secondly, DIYA has furnished for me a platform to make use of certain hidden strengths such as writing skills and innovative thinking whose presence itself was undiscovered earlier.

-- Why do you think does DIYA stand apart from other NGOs or Organizations?

DIYA is not bounded by a particular ideology or a belief system. DIYA is a movement rather than an organization. It aims to work together with all other organizations as it is an open platform having a yen to play a paramount role in bringing a social change.

DIYA appreciates diversity in thoughts. It believes not in the definitive dogmatic end state but in the unfolding of thought processes, dialogue and continuum.

It is important to note here that DIYA is not an ordinary social movement. It's going ahead with a vision. It's idea is to create spiritually elevated youths alongside channelization of their aptitudes for a social change. DIYA aims to target the root cause of almost every social discord, wickedness of the value system. Thus, DIYA has a dual role to play - inculcation of intellectual and spiritual potencies among youths as well as employment of the available youth flair for the civilizational welfare. This makes DIYA truly unique.

Another aspect which makes DIYA stand apart is that its area of work is not confined to some particular field or sector. DIYA is all set to work in any regime as far as the nature of activity is constructive, reformatory and which results in a significant social implication.

-- What is your opinion about the youth of India today?

Today's youths are so impressed by the material knowledge evolution, or in other words, intellectual evolution of mankind in the recent times that they have ignored the glory of spiritual values.

There seems to be a great influence of epicurean indulgences among youths. On the social front, those who are talented and successful in their professional lives are dispassionate about fulfilling their responsibility towards the society in the course of luxuriating in their material wealth and those who are not, social service remains all time low in their wish list as they struggle only for building up the material wealth.

On a positive note, the umbrella picture of today's Indian youth depicts that there is a vast pool of talented and ebullient rising generation. They can spring up as a highly valuable asset for this country if their forte is channelized righteously.

-- Is the personality of Indian youth today- Holistic? Why?

Albeit there are few enlightened young souls who have made holistic choices in their lives, the overall picture remains gloomy. The real problem is that people do not have a long term and sustainable perspective to life. They run after immediate and ephemeral gains. This perception prevents them from making holistic decisions.

Moreover, the belief system prevailing in the society greatly influences the rising generation. The younger generation gets no encouragement to endorse holistic thinking and make themselves flow with the idea holding sway in the society in which they live. The media and the entertainment industry are among the major perpetrators in inflaming vulgar and violent tendencies. Education system also has failed to make them understand the science and the art of life and has focused solely upon propagating information and profession based knowledge undermining the importance of ethics and value based thinking.

Last, but not the least, low socio-economic conditions and unemployment also propel youths abstain from adopting the holistic view of life.

-- How do you think can DIYA contribute to the holistic personality of Indian youth today?

A harmonious blend of a rich value system and intelligence creates a complete personality. DIYA has a plausible background of a virtuous value system and DIYA is also armed with a dedicated pool of intelligentsia. Thus, DIYA has a tremendous potential to change the face of young India.

First and foremost requirement for DIYA volunteers would be to present themselves as roll models. The need is to propagate value based thinking in the society individually as well as through a strengthful teamwork. The entourage will have to demonstrate what can be an ideal lifestyle and a thought process which a youth should adopt. Further, DIYA will have to create a sense of realization among youths through rational justification how adoption of human qualities help in the attainment of excellence in the personal, professional and spiritual domains of life.

To win over young minds, the keywords are 'logical thinking' and 'innovation' apart from altruism and sacro'sanctity. Each and every thought should be presented with a well-founded reasoning. This only is the scientific approach. Moreover, it is highly essential to put up every social endeavor in an interesting manner, hence 'innovation'. This is how DIYA will succeed to magnetize intelligentsia.

It would also be significant to consider the competence building aspect of youths in parallel to occupying the youth force in social service.

As DIYA's ideologies and the organizational set up very well match the requirements, assuredly DIYA will emerge as a puissant platform in transcending the Indian prime to its best.

-- What is your message to the youth today?

Excel, rise and shine to the supremacy, make the nation proud, it's our time now.