In a powerful defense of today's younger generation, RSS pracharak Mukul Kanitkar has called on society to stop blaming youth for any perceived decline in reading and learning habits. Speaking at the concluding session of the Zero Mile Lit Festival on Sunday, Kanitkar emphasized that the younger generation remains deeply engaged with ideas and literature.
Youth as Fast Processors
Kanitkar, who has been a pracharak since the 1990s and currently serves as National Organisation secretary of the Bhartiya Shikshan Mandal, made a compelling comparison between today's youth and technology. He described the current generation as "more advanced than previous generation" and likened them to a "fast processor."
The veteran RSS leader stressed that instead of criticizing young people, society must learn to speak their language and adapt to their evolving ways of learning. He observed concrete evidence of this intellectual engagement at the Nagpur Book Festival itself, noting that readers were gathering around various stalls, including Marathi publishers, rather than only focusing on competitive exam materials.
Ground Reality Versus Perception
Challenging common assumptions about student reading preferences, Kanitkar stated, "People claim students only read competitive books. Ground reality is different." His observations at the festival revealed a genuine curiosity and intellectual engagement among young attendees.
He urged participants to contribute intellectually and made a practical appeal to readers to "write at least one page every day" as a way to maintain and develop their literary skills.
Elders Must Bridge the Gap
Kanitkar placed the responsibility of bridging the generational gap squarely on the shoulders of elders rather than youth. He emphasized that every generation is more refined and capable than the one before, calling this progression "the law of life."
Quoting Swami Vivekananda's famous line, he warned about the psychological impact of constant criticism: "If you call a person a fool ten times, he will eventually start believing it." Kanitkar explained that such persistent negative feedback ultimately demoralizes youth and hinders their development.
The Zero Mile Lit Festival was organized as part of the larger Nagpur Book Festival, bringing together literary enthusiasts, authors, and thinkers from across the region.
