Politics, Purpose and a Generation Looking Beyond Virality

Politics is often misunderstood today, especially when viewed through the lens of social media virality. The image of “youth in politics” is increasingly reduced to hashtags, trending outrage, performative activism, or short-lived movements that dominate timelines for a few days before disappearing into the digital void. But politics, in its truest sense, is far deeper and far more demanding. It is not merely about visibility. It is about responsibility. It is about investing time, energy, intellect, and conviction into shaping the future of society and the nation.

For me, politics was never an accidental interest. It was something that quietly shaped my worldview from childhood itself.

I did not come from a political family in the conventional sense. We were not electoral players, nor were we directly associated with any political organisation. Yet, politics was always present at home. Dinner table conversations often revolved around governance, leadership, economics, policy decisions, and the direction in which the country was moving. My parents consciously encouraged me to stay aware of public affairs and understand the importance of civic and political consciousness. Looking back, I realise that these discussions played a far bigger role in shaping my personality than I understood at the time.

As I grew older, my interest in politics evolved from curiosity to conviction. I increasingly felt drawn towards understanding how systems function, how public narratives are built, how governance impacts ordinary lives, and how political ecosystems shape the destiny of nations. While many people around me viewed politics as distant, chaotic, or transactional, I saw it as one of the most powerful instruments for nation-building.

My years at business school added another layer to this understanding. During my MBA, one of my batchmates Varun was appointed as the National In-Charge of Policy Research and Training at BJYM. Through him, I got the opportunity to closely observe the ecosystem of political organisation, research, cadre-building, and policy discussions. What began as conversations and collaborations gradually became my own entry point into the political space.

That phase fundamentally changed my perception of politics.

What struck me the most was that politics is not only fought during elections. A massive amount of political work happens far away from television debates and social media noise. It involves building organisational capability, training workers, strengthening ideological understanding, creating awareness about policies, and ensuring that political communication reaches the last-mile citizen. It requires systems thinking, execution capability, grassroots understanding, and an ability to continuously engage with people.

Unfortunately, much of this work remains invisible.

The public often associates youth in politics only with protests, aggressive slogans, or viral moments. But real political contribution also lies in building institutions, strengthening democratic participation, improving governance conversations, and creating long-term policy impact. Nation-building is not always dramatic. More often, it is deeply operational.

After completing my MBA, I briefly stepped into the corporate world. Like many young professionals, I had a stable career path ahead of me. Yet, there was a persistent thought in my mind: if I did not take the plunge into the political and entrepreneurial ecosystem then, I probably never would. Comfort has a way of becoming permanent.

That realisation pushed me towards an unconventional path.

I eventually decided to leave my job and pursue entrepreneurship, partly because I wanted financial independence while remaining connected to the broader political and policy ecosystem that I cared deeply about. In many ways, entrepreneurship and politics are not very different. Both require risk-taking, resilience, people management, communication, and the ability to operate in uncertainty. Both are ultimately about solving problems at scale.

Another important influence on my thinking came through the Raisina Young Fellows programme. Interacting with young leaders, professionals, and policy enthusiasts from different countries gave me a much wider understanding of the role youth can play in shaping global conversations.In a world increasingly defined by geopolitical tensions, polarisation, and competing national interests, these human relationships matter immensely. When young individuals from different countries engage with each other, exchange ideas, and build trust, they create informal diplomatic bridges that often outlast formal negotiations. Cultural understanding, intellectual exchange, and personal friendships can sometimes reduce distances that governments struggle to bridge.

That experience reinforced my belief that youth participation in politics and public life should not be seen narrowly through electoral or ideological lenses alone. Young people today are shaping narratives, influencing policy, building institutions, driving technological transformation, and increasingly participating in geopolitical discourse.

Politics, therefore, is not merely about power. At its best, it is about participation.And perhaps the most encouraging part is this: increasingly, many young Indians from non-political backgrounds are choosing to participate. Not because it is easy, glamorous, or viral, but because they genuinely want to contribute to the future of the country.

That, to me, is the real story of youth in politics.