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Events

Antardhwani Leadership Conclave

Mysuru, November 25, 2023

The Antardhwani Leadership Conclave opened to a grand reception at Mysuru’s KSOU Convocation Hall on November 25, 2023

The conclave started with a welcome song in Kannada by the girls of Vinayaka Gnana Vidya Shale, Mullur, followed by inauguration of the event by Her Highness Pramoda Devi Wadiyar who lit the lamp on the stage, along with Antardhwani founder Dr BS Ajaikumar, Bhagya Ajaikumar, the six invited speakers including Ravi Joshi, Falkia Khan, Lingaraju S, Jayashree Raju, Pramila Kunwar and Mani, Antardhwani co-heads Seethalakshmi S and Rahul Nandan, and IHDUA programme head Madhu N.

This was followed by introduction to Dr Ajaikumar’s rural philanthropic initiatives around Mysuru in the past two decades. Madhu N, the programme head of IHDUA (International Human Development and Upliftment Academy), highlighted the organization’s impactful social initiatives in the areas of healthcare, education, women empowerment, and community development in Gundlupet and the surrounding areas.

Moving on, Antardhwani co-founders Rahul Nandan and Seethalakshmi S relived the journey of the Bengaluru-based think tank since its launch in 2018. The presentation showcased Antardhwani’s impressive interventions in a shot span including the flagship tobacco farming alternative project in the Hunsur region; RTI and public interest litigation over the non-utilization of the Secondary and Higher Education Cess for a decade by the government; the Voice of the Vote campaign in rural areas; promoting good politics and political empowerment of women by fielding the only independent woman candidate from Gundlupet in 2023 Karnataka assembly polls; Antardhwani Conversations (a unique platform for exchange of ideas); and Antardhwani Papers on reimagining India’s healthcare after Covid-19. Completely enthralled, the large audience of almost 2,000 cutting across age groups listened in rapt attention.

Speakers

Dr BS Ajaikumar

In his keynote talk, Dr BS Ajaikumar, the moderator of the conclave, touched upon the impactful philanthropic and social engagements of Antardhwani and IHDUA. He said that being self-sufficient and self- confident are extremely important for growth. And that Antardhwani aims to create community leaders who are aware, responsible, and who exhibit democratic-constitutional values and principles.

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India became independent from the British rule in 1947 and became a Republic on January 26, 1950 with the adoption of the constitution. We need to preserve this freedom in all respects.

We need to rise above caste, creed, religion, and socio-economic status, and walk hand-in-hand to become a prosperous country.

We need to rise above caste, creed, religion, and socio-economic status, and walk hand-in-hand to become a prosperous country. We must adhere to our democratic, constitutional, and secular principles we all take pride in. Freedom of expression and speech is non-negotiable. Also, enabling the marginal and minority communities a congenial atmosphere to grow is very crucial.

For the well-being of all the citizens and this country, it is imperative that our women get equal rights and opportunities. The Parliament’s approval this year to 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies is a welcome move. Women are more capable and we need to ensure they get the place they deserve. Women empowerment in all respects – social, economic, and political – is top priority.

There is a need to create leaders who are aware, responsible and who possess the values-principles of our democracy. And, Antardhwani exactly aims to do that with its membership model. We want to inculcate leadership qualities in today’s rural and urban youths so that they can drive this nation in the right direction.

Antardhwani aims to create right opportunities for India’s youths so that they grow and exhibit their talents. For that they first need to become self-confident and how do we do that? How do we ensure their social and economic security? Skilling rural youths and creating local job opportunities is vital for growth of India where 70% people still live in villages. It is also important our skill training programmes meet industry standards. The spirit of enterprise must percolate in rural youths to ensure a steady flow of innovative entrepreneurs who can take India to new heights.

Creating aware and empowered individuals who do not hesitate to question is need of the hour. Responsible use of social media in today’s times is crucial and one must not come to a quick conclusion without proper reflection and analysis of any situation.

We all must also keep in mind that if we are right, there is no need to flinch. Our conscience is our keeper and always shows us the right way.

We also must take pride in the fact that our country is an epitome of harmony and unity in diversity. Here temples, mosques, churches and gurudwaras have been all there through centuries. We must never encourage and allow anybody to destroy this wonderful fabric.

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Ravi Joshi

The conclave’s first guest speaker Ravi Joshi started his talk with terming the constitution of a country as the biography of its nation, a biography written by some of its finest minds. He took the audience back in history and explained the turn of events that led to the adoption of our constitution and India becoming a Republic.

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Her termed the preamble as the soul of the constitution and the constitution itself a social contract that we all agreed upon despite so many existing divisions — religious, linguistic, regional, caste, creed, and class — to form a unified whole.

He touched upon what ‘secular’ and ‘socialist’ —incorporated in the preamble later in 1976 — means for the citizens of India. He enumerated the six fundamental rights and emphasized the right to equality and freedom while also talking about the right to information, protection before the law and privacy.

He said that we must be aware of the preamble and our fundamental rights.

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Falkia Khan

Talking next was young leader Falkia Khan who shared her story of transformation from a shy and introvert girl to a confident and bold individual, and how it all began with her mother starting a YouTube channel for her during the Covid crisis. How she managed doing three things at a time — study, give public talks and learning Thai muay boxing?

Pointing to the fact that India has the largest youth population in the world — 50% below age of 25 and 65% below age of 35 — Falkia said that youths have the responsibility of building the country’s future and so they must be aware and responsible citizens. Youths must get inspired from their own culture rather emulating some other.

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In the times when a smartphone is in everybody’s hands, youths must be responsible users of social media. They should control and regulate social media and not vice versa. Over 48% of youths today watch misleading content and 1 out of 10 people watch the same content for over 6 times. This is the reason why many youths and teenagers today are annoyed, upset, angry and scared. While a huge number watch misleading content on social media, only few report them. And, so trolling and bullying are on the rise. She appealed the young audience to think once before they act, twice before they speak and thrice before posting anything on social media.

The young girl confidently spelled out her pearls of wisdom:

  • Listen before react
  • Think before you act
  • Forgive before you pray
  • Try before you quit

She said youths must turn negative situations in life into positive ones by staying focused and learning an extra skill. She appealed to parents to encourage, support and guide children to glory. It is important to create young leaders as the world needs more leaders than followers.

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Lingaraju S

Lingaraju S, who came next, captivated the audience with his engaging style of conversation. He touched upon extremely crucial and relevant points related to cybercrime and social media. He appealed to the college and school students present at the conclave to use technology wisely and be aware of the laws governing information technology and personal data.

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He flagged how most people in India today are not mindful in using a smartphone and smartwatch. He cautioned how carelessness in using smart devices can land people in serious trouble.

It is important that we all get familiar with the laws and provisions in the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

He appealed the audience to be cautious in making out online financial transactions, sharing passwords and OTPs.

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Jayashree Raju

Speaking from the podium next was Jayashree Raju who shared how the decision to step out of her home and join a self-help group in her village many years ago gave her the confidence to stand in the 2023 Karnataka assembly elections as the only woman candidate from Gundlupet constituency.

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She said belief in herself made her what she was today. How she chose to lead any task she took up and built leadership qualities over the years? She told all the youngsters at the conclave that no one will teach them how to become a leader and that everyone has leadership qualities in them, they just need to work on them. She asked to take criticism in stride and never let it deter them from their path to glory. “Keep the faith and success will always be yours,” she emphasized.

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Pramila Kunwar

Next was yet another young leader Pramila Kunwar who narrated her inspiring story to the thousands of young, beaming faces at the conclave. Her feeling as a tea seller’s daughter saluting the Prime Minister, who was himself a tea seller once, at the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi in 2022. Pramila’s father runs a popular tea shop on Mysuru’s Kalidasa Road.

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She focused on the need for personality development and inculcating leadership qualities in today’s youths. Urging them to shun blaming ‘luck’ for what they have got in life, Pramila told the young audience to focus in life like an eagle, set a goal and go for it. There is no use complaining about one’s situation, rather work to change it.

Born in Rajasthan, she said she was humbled that she could bring laurels for Karnataka where she grew up and got immense love.

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Mani

Mani, the rural woman leader who spoke last but with charming confidence, relived how perseverance and hunger to do better have challenged her every day since her college days in Mysuru. She would perform street plays that would make her happy and confident. She gradually began to work with other women in her village, Somahalli (Gundlupet), Karnataka, and hear out their problems. Feeling that she needed more power to solve people’s problems, she contested panchayat elections, won, and became a member. It was an opportunity to improve individually and help women from marginalised communities to come out and speak about their issues. Coming a long way to talk about her life journey, Mani said that courage and confidence are within us, we just need to bring it out.

The engaging and inspiring talk by the six guest speakers was followed by a host of interesting questions to them from the audience across age groups.

The next half of the Antardhwani Leadership Conclave saw hundreds of rural women along with school and college students joining a workshop led by Dr BS Ajaikumar where he infused and instilled confidence in them. Students and women were asked about the specific issues they faced in daily lives and ways to address them. Many said how lack of confidence is a big hurdle for them and they look forward to such events as an opportunity to speak and shed their fear of public speaking. Dr Ajaikumar informed them how they can join in and become members of Antardhwani, a movement that aims to create aware and empowered individuals.

The conclave concluded with the promise to return soon with more such empowering events in the coming year.

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