As The World Is Ageing, India Is Getting Younger: KT Rama Rao

A vivacious session on the future of culture, business and politics was moderated by Karan Johar, at the World Economic Forum, in a conversation with Alia Bhatt, Kavin Bharti Mittal and KT Rama Rao.

On being asked about how Alia felt about what she was passionate about and her achievements, she shared that she wasn’t thinking about herself in third person, and that she was just going with the flow, “just doing” and giving a lot of her heart into her performances hoping to make an impact on the maximum number of people, as she felt when she went to the movies growing up.

Kavin echoed the same sentiments as Alia and said, “When you find your passion you jump straight into it, and if you are good at it you get success, and if you have an open minded attitude towards life and view failures as a learning especially at a young age, the Universe will find a place for you and put you in the right place.”

The minister of the youngest state in the country, KT Rama Rao spoke of the burden of expectation being a second-generation politician and his personal approach to work.

He said, “I believe in doing your best and leaving the rest to people, to judge to do whatever they want, because ultimately they are the ones that decide the fate of the movie or the fate of politician. Your name tag only serves as an entry pass but beyond that it’s just you.”

Kavin believes that beyond any unfair advantage anyone may have, it is how we deploy the 24 hours in the day, which defines our success. He has put his heart and soul into Hike messenger.

Rao believes that the Indian narrative is evolving in every sense, socially, economically and developmentally and is an amazing story unfolding.

"India’s population was considered its bane but today it has become its strength, one of India’s biggest strengths is our human resource, our work force our, think force. More than 50 per cent of India’s population is under the age of 27. More than 65 per cent of India’s population is less than the age of 35 which gives us the largest think force on the planet, and in a knowledge economy you can’t ask for more. So as the world is ageing, India is getting younger,” according to Rao.

It was also interesting to hear views of young change-makers towards life and their acceptance of the transience of it all. Alia spoke of how she tries to remain as detached as possible from the outcome as possible, as she is all too familiar with change being the only constant. Keeping in mind how what is there today, will not be there tomorrow.

She said, “I go with my heart and my gut.”

Karan spoke with nostalgic undertones, “We constantly spend time on social media, there used to be conversation, discussions, analysis and now today they have been replaced by opinions. No more one-on-one conversations. Somewhere Emotions have taken a beating and romance definitely it has been replaced by everything that social operates within.”

Alia Bhat despite being from the younger generation shared that she has a rule when she goes out with her friends that all the phones are put in the middle of the table and no one is allowed to use them. On being asked about globalisation of roles, and talent moving west, she expressed that at some point she would want to, but as of now her main focus is to make sure that the Indian film industry thrives.

“Fire”, was the word that came to her mind when asked for one word to describe India. “The ability to keep burning and really spread the light.”

Kavin said, “Bold’, alluding to leadership.

We are at a point of inflection in our society and the word Rao signed off with was “Hope.”