Leading Young

With registrations from 4,700 students across the country,the stage is set for the second Indian Student Parliament by MAEER'S MIT School of Government Pune.

With registrations from 4,700 students across the country,the stage is set for the second Indian Student Parliament by MAEER’S MIT School of Government Pune. Around 5,000 more participants are expected to showcase their leadership talents through thought provoking speeches along with a host of eminent speakers. Youngsters,with an aim to do something fruitful for the society at large,will voice their thoughts,opinions and concepts on this platform,from January 10 – 12 at the MIT campus,Kothrud.

All the participants send in five-minute speeches on any one of the topics listed for this year’s session. After scrutinising the entries,they are shortlisted. K Veeresh Kumar,a third year law student from KLE Society’s Law College,Bengaluru,was among the 22 students selected for the finals of the first Indian Student Parliament,held in January last year. Kumar spoke about,’Ways to combat corruption in today’s India’. We cannot blame the system for the existing corruption. It has been there for ages and only an institutional change can take a shot at corruption, says Kumar. A training in law helped Kumar sail through the initial rounds at the Student Parliament last year.

Unlike Kumar,final year industrial engineering student,Sarang Puri,did not have a formal training in environment but it was his confidence and passion for the subject that ensured him a spot in the top 10 list. Puri spoke about the alternatives to save the environment. I have always taken up independent projects for the betterment of the environment, says Puri,who wishes to be an environmentalist some day. We cannot be a super power unless we protect Mother Nature, he adds.

Deepak Gadve,a third year pharmacy student from Bhagwan College of Pharmacy,Aurangabad,spoke on leadership at the grass root level at the session held in 2011. The youth brigade has enough potential to lead the country now. I pitched my five-minute speech on this efficient group of youngsters, says Gadve. According to the trio,the secrets to being a good leader are: informative speech,command over the language,presence of mind and confidence. Fumbling and stammering are strict no-nos at this stage, Kumar advises.

Kumar,Puri and Gadve were among the 22 participants who were selected for an international study tour in Europe. There were 11 sessions last year with two students speaking on the same topic. This year,there will be nine such sessions wherein 18 shortlisted candidates will speak on several topics, informed Ashish Lal,the head of admissions at MIT School of Government Pune.

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