Shillong, Dec 24: Bollywood, sports, politics and music — India Today Mind Rocks Youth Summit 2013 in Shillong, Meghalaya on Monday was a blend of everything that galvanises youngsters.
Held for the first time in the North-east, Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma, actors Abhay Deol Vivek Oberoi, Commonwealth boxing gold medallist Akhil Kumar, cricketer Ajay Jadeja and musicians Papon and Rabbi Shergill were among those who spoke at the event.
In his keynote address, Sangma said Mind Rocks was the perfect platform to gain ideas from various sections of society including the youth. The Meghalaya CM said the rest of India should be made aware of the cultural diversity in the North-east. Sangma even took to the stage to sing a song.
Bollywood star Vivek Oberoi, basking in the success of Krissh 3 and Grand Masti, spoke about how he felt like the luckiest man in the world after he son was born and how he lived in a kholi and put on a grubby look to audition for Company.“Ram Gopal Varma gave me a signing amount of Rs 10,” he said.
In the next session, Binalakshmi Nepram, Founder, Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network, and Assamese actor Zerifa Wahid shared how people from the North-east faced discrimination in other parts of the country. They also spoke on how others can overcome the bias.
“You have to assert yourself since there is a preconceived notion about the people from the North-east,” Zerifa said.
In a session on political changes, Dr Mukul Sangma and Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma, head of the royal house of Tripura and editor of The Northeast Today, called the promises made by the Aam Aadmi Party in the Delhi Assembly elections unrealistic and said the Congress under Rahul Gandhi was undergoing a major transformation.
“The Central government’s revolutionary decisions are bringing about transformative changes in the country,” Dr Sangma said.
Boxer Akhil Kumar came next and shared the factors that motivate him, one of them being criticism. “Boxing is an art. If there is trouble in front of you, it teaches you how to cope with it,” he said.
He also praised the boxers from the North-east for not being egoistic.
Cricketer Ajay Jadeja said the new generation of Indian batsmen had got something different. He also said cricket had nothing to do with individual players but was a team sport, citing how Sachin Tendulkar played. “Not many people would have applauded had India lost the Test against West Indies in Mumbai and Sachin was retiring after the same match,” he said.
Miss India 2008 Parvathy Omanakuttan said she had dreamt of becoming as a child after watching the Miss India contests. But she rued that the fact that fashion industry did not get much leverage in the country and models were looked down upon.
Singer and actor Monica Dogra said music had the capacity to change a nation.
“The whole universe is a vibration,” she said and presented some songs.(SP News)
