“Focus on Quality, Not Quantity”: Anand Mahindra Speaks on Work-Life Balance to Palki Sharma

We all are extremely grateful and extend a deep regard to the honorable Union Cabinet Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports and Labour and Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya ji, a true champion of youth. He amplifies dedication and vision, and his relentless efforts continue to bring about meaningful and transformative change in the lives of millions of youths. Thank you so much sir for joining us today. We are extremely grateful. Smt. Raksha Khadse ji, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, known for her exceptional work in policy making and a forward-looking vision. Thank you so much ma'am for joining us today. We are extremely grateful. We also have with us Shri Anand Mahindra ji, Chairman of Mahindra Group, the national icon for today's event. His strategic foresight and dynamic leadership have not only taken the Mahindra Group to diverse sectors but have also elevated Bharat's manufacturing sector to a global scale. Thank you so much sir for joining us. We are extremely indebted for you for gracing this occasion with your presence. Smt. Palki Sharma Upadhyay ji, well who doesn't know her? A trailblazer in journalism, known for her commitment to integrity and informed leadership by bringing global events into focus through an Indian lens. Her approach continues to shape the future of journalism and impactful voice. Thank you so much ma'am for joining us today. We are extremely grateful. Ladies and gentlemen, an exceptionally vibrant morning to each and everyone sitting in this room. Just like the youth, this morning feels alive with possibilities and enthusiasm. Malika Singh Pathania along with Aditya Raj and Sarika Rana are my Bharat volunteers hosting today's event. It is a matter of extreme privilege for me to have the opportunity to commence the day, the celebration of youth, the celebration of Viksit Bharat at 2047, the re-imagined National Youth Festival, Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025, and this deserves a huge round of applause. Ladies and gentlemen, it is not just a physical assembly of Yuva Shakti but rightly stated, it is a Mahakumbh of ideas. From the historic ramparts of Red Fort, it was on August 15, 20[?] that our noble Prime Minister announced his vision to engage more than one lakh youth from families with no prior political background into the political system. Because of which various events have been organized and this mega event is a part of that. The talented group of young pride of people that we see here today have been selected through rigorous competition in three categories: namely the newly introduced Viksit Bharat Challenge, State Level Youth Festival, and the Young Trailblazers. 30 lakh participants, 12 different languages, and four different stages have brought together the best of the best. 3000 remarkable Yuva Shakti have gathered here today. The future of Bharat, the leaders of today and the leaders of tomorrow. The 20[?] National Youth Festival has been re-imagined on every possible level because of which you will soon notice that most of the work here is being done by the youth because this is a historic event with commitment that knows no bounds. This is an event that is of the youth, for the youth, and by the youth of Bharat. Thank you so much everyone. And friends, this is just a beginning, a start, an initiation of momentum, an initiation of policy, of the final line, an initiation of nature, an initiation of this light, of the love of heritage, of the duty of action, of every color included, an initiation of this country, of entering a new era. The new youth of new Bharat, who with their resolve are working for Viksit Bharat @2047. I request our My Bharat volunteers to welcome our honorable Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya ji, by offering flowers, under whose patronage this grand and divine program is being organized. The thunder of your applause should be heard from Bharat Mandapam across the entire country. I request our next My Bharat volunteer to welcome our honorable Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Raksha Khadse madam, by offering flowers. The thunder of your applause is a testament to the grandeur of this program. And now I request my My Bharat volunteer to welcome that person for whom perhaps no words are enough, Shri Anand Mahindra sir. I request our next My Bharat volunteer to give a hearty welcome to Palki Sharma ma'am. I request our next My Bharat volunteer to welcome one of the biggest faces of this program, the person who took Bharat from Chandrayaan to Gaganyaan, from Aditya L1 to Mangalyaan, ISRO Chairman Sir S. Somanath. I also request our next My Bharat volunteer to welcome our Chairman of Space, Pawan Goenka sir, with respect and welcome. Moving towards the next part of the program, we humbly request all our esteemed guests to come on stage and begin the program of offering flowers at the feet of Swami Vivekanand ji, the source of inspiration for all of us Yuva Shakti. Your applause should continue to be heard across Bharat. That Bharat whose clear direction has always been a journey from darkness to light. 'Tat desh prasu tasya saka saad agra janmana svam svam charitra sirena prithivyaam sarva maanava.' This line from the Vedas tells us how in Bharat's tradition, character is realized. Swami Vivekanand is one such character, about whom poet Sumit Orchha writes: 'We had won the religious assembly, we had won the religious assembly, but no one lost that day. That day, the whole world resounded with the victory of Bharat. New songs of Bharat's flag of glory were composed, new verses were composed. That young saint-sanyasi became the world's Vivekanand. To fight against darkness, to fight against darkness, he became the conflict in the minds of youth. That young saint-sanyasi became the world's Vivekanand.' Swami Vivekanand ji once said, 'I can see that Bharat Mata, with her divine aura, is going to ascend the throne again to guide the entire world, and that time is only a century away.' We stand a century after that statement. This is a symbol that the words of great men never go in vain. Your applause will be a symbol of whether you are present in the program or not. Bharat, in whose tradition we have been taught to realize character, we are the youth of that Bharat who today want to perform their duties, want to reform the present of Bharat, and want to transform the future of Bharat into Viksit Bharat. Many many thanks to the honorable minister, to our guests, and now I will hand over to our anchor Sarika Rana to take the program to the next part. Thank you.

Good morning everybody. Can I see the energy of my Bharat? Ladies and gentlemen, as we gather here today, we stand on the cusp of a vision, a vision for a Viksit Bharat by 2047 which was seen by our noble Prime Minister. A developed Bharat driven by the dreams, energy, and determination of its youth. They say that the strength of a nation lies in the hearts of its young people, and today this event is a shining example. It is the shining example, an event that is by the youth, of the youth, and for the youth. They say behind every great movement is a visionary leader, and we are honored to have one such trailblazer among us. Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya ji, everybody, our noble Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Labour and Employment, is not just a leader but a force of transformation. From walking hundreds of kilometers in padayatras to promote Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and girl child education, to leading initiatives that brought healthcare closer to every Indian through 10,000 plus Jan Aushadhi Kendras, his efforts resonate with every corner of the nation. Ladies and gentlemen, these achievements are so extraordinary, your claps must not stop. Please. His leadership took India's vaccination drive to historic heights, administering 2 billion doses in record time. An inspiring voice on global platforms like the United Nations and the World Economic Forum, he has represented India with unparalleled dignity and vision. So ladies and gentlemen, let's make the energy in this room match the greatness of the man we are about to welcome. Please join me in welcoming our noble minister sir. Give him a thunderous round of applause, everybody. Please sir, please sir, the stage is yours.

On the occasion of the inauguration of the Viksit Bharat Young Leader Dialogue, present among us are Anand Mahindra ji, Palki ji, Somanath ji, Raksha ji, Pawan ji, and my young leader brothers and sisters who have come from every corner of the country. Today I am happy. Every year on 12th January, in memory of Swami Vivekanand ji, we celebrate Youth Festival, celebrate Youth Day. In this Youth Festival, all the youth of the country gather, take inspiration from Swami Vivekanand ji, and also make resolutions for their own development and for the development of the country. But Swami Vivekanand ji used to say, the greater the struggle, the more glorious the victory. Struggle gives us inspiration, struggle prepares us for a big victory, meaning it paves the way for success. And therefore, taking inspiration from what Swami Vivekanand ji said 100 and a quarter years ago, we also get direction to move forward. But today I am happy. Before his initiation, Swami Vivekanand's name was Narendr Dutt. Today, taking inspiration from Swami Vivekanand ji, the youth of the country have gathered here to celebrate Youth Day, and Modi ji has inspired us that this time we must celebrate Youth Day and Youth Festival in a different way. One Narendr Dutt who gave direction to the youth, today similarly our Narendr Modi is giving direction and inspiring the youth. And when I went to the Prime Minister ji and said that this year in which state should I celebrate the Youth Festival and you have to come to it, then Modi ji told me that you always celebrate this Youth Festival in some state, but I want to connect the youth of my country with the development of the country and with Viksit Bharat. Therefore, this time we can celebrate the Youth Festival in a different way. Taking inspiration from Modi ji's words, I thought that we should celebrate this festival by ensuring the participation of youth in this program. I am happy to tell Anand ji that this program is a step, a first step in the direction of preparing one lakh youth leaders as envisioned by Modi ji. In this program, all the arrangements, all the planning, all the organization has been done by the youth volunteers of my country. My colleague minister Raksha ji, our Secretary Meeta ji and the Ministry team, we have only been motivators, guides. But 25 youth volunteers of the country came together, these volunteers decided, whatever they said, we did. They said that you want to gather the talented youth of the country, we said yes, then they said that a competition must be held, and a quiz competition was organized. More than 30 lakh youth participated in the quiz competition, out of which two lakh youth who came in merit were asked to write a letter essay on 10 tracks, and out of two lakh youth, six thousand wrote such essays, and these essays were evaluated. Out of them, 9000 youth of the country were asked to give a presentation on the subject for which they wrote the essay in the vertical they chose for Viksit Bharat. They gave presentations, and out of them, today 3000 youth are sitting in front of me. You are the talent of the country, you are the future of the country. Today's program is of the youth, by the youth, for the youth. This program has been prepared by you people, and therefore the entire structure and planning of the program has been based on your ideas. And therefore, to make Bharat developed, to make it a developed country, what is your opinion, what do you want, what will your vision of Bharat be like? Yesterday I came, the presentation of 10 tracks was going on. What should be in the agriculture sector in a developed Bharat for the youth, what should we do for startups in a developed Bharat, and today what should be the status of women in our country in a developed Bharat for women empowerment. Friends, when I listened to the youth, my confidence increased. I have firm belief that you will definitely create Modi ji's dream of Viksit Bharat by 2047. I believe, friends, that this is the first program that has initiated the handing over of leadership to the youth power of the country. From among you, from your planning, I was seeing all the arrangements, writing letters, making calls, all of you doing logistics arrangements, hotel arrangements, all the arrangements here, those who are conducting are also youth volunteers, they are from among you, the people involved in the arrangements are from among you, and I have been seeing you for two days in a disciplined manner, and that has boosted the morale of the entire system. I also saw that when you left your states, I had told all the Chief Ministers and Governors that the youth talent of your state, the youth who have come out of the competition, are coming to have a dialogue with the Prime Minister, to give their suggestions for Viksit Bharat, you should meet them. I am happy that 24 state Governors and Chief Ministers have seen you off and honored you. Friends, I was also told that all the ministers of the Government of India invited you for dinner on the evening of the 9th. 20 ministers yesterday invited the talent youth of their respective states to their homes for a meal and had a dialogue with them. This shows the importance of this program. Friends, under the leadership of Modi ji, the country is changing, the country is moving forward, and a new Bharat is being built. Friends, after centuries, we are going to place Bharat Mata again at the pinnacle of supreme glory. This country has suffered a lot. This country was dependent for 2000 years. Sometimes they ruled this country, sometimes the Shakas ruled. For 1000 years, invaders ruled this country. For 240 years, the British ruled this country. In 1857, Mangal Pandey gave his first martyrdom and started the struggle for freedom against the British. The freedom struggle of the country continued for 90 years. Six lakh youth sacrificed their lives. When the country demanded sacrifice, the youth stepped forward and climbed the gallows, saying 'Vande Mataram' and offered their lives for Bharat Mata. And friends, after 75 years of independence, Modi ji has called upon us to build a developed Bharat. And to build a developed Bharat, I have faith in the youth of the country. Taking the youth along, we have to build a developed Bharat based on their vision. And therefore, to ensure the participation of youth and women in a developed Bharat, we were inspired to have the Viksit Bharat Young Dialogue. And I am seeing all the youth sitting here, I have been witnessing your activities for two days. Friends, my morale and confidence are building. Once again, Bharat Mata will be seated at the place of supreme glory. In 2047, when the country celebrates the centenary of independence, then friends, you will live a developed Bharat as citizens of a developed Bharat. And so that we can live a developed Bharat in the future, the leadership of a developed Bharat is sitting in front of me. I request all of you, for two days, today and tomorrow, participate in all the programs with full effort, with interest, contribute your contribution, your contribution is needed. And tomorrow when you have a dialogue with the Prime Minister, I have been told that 20 youth colleagues from 10 tracks will tell the Prime Minister that this is our dream of a developed Bharat. And to build this dream of a developed Bharat, we all will move forward based on your commitment and dedication. My heartfelt best wishes to all of you. Thank you.

Thank you once again sir for being with us and leading us towards a brighter future. And now ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the moment we all have been waiting for, the most anticipated interaction with a national icon. But before we dive in, it is my privilege and honor to introduce you to the one who will lead this extraordinary conversation. Palki Sharma Upadhyay ma'am, the moderator for this interaction. And I must proudly say, my idol, a fearless voice who has made India's story resonate across the globe. A storyteller whose every word has the power to challenge perspectives and spark meaningful dialogue. She is more than just a journalist, she is a change maker who has set new benchmarks in global media with her unmatched clarity and compelling storytelling. She has not only brought the world closer to India but has also empowered countless minds like us to dream big and speak out fearlessly. It is an honor to welcome you ma'am to the stage. Ladies and gentlemen, let's make some noise for the one and only Palki Sharma Upadhyay ma'am. We welcome you. Ma'am, please ma'am take your seat. Thank you.

Thank you. Friends, now there are leaders who build businesses and then there are leaders, visionaries who build legacies. The man we are about to welcome on stage belongs to the latter category. Shri Anand Mahindra ji. Dynamic Chairman of the Mahindra Group has redefined what it means to be a leader in modern India. Under his leadership, the Mahindra Group has soared to global heights, driving innovation across automobiles, IT, aerospace. Degrees from Harvard College and Harvard Business School, he is a powerhouse of intellect and foresight, blending business excellence with a profound sense of purpose. But his impact is not confined to boardrooms and balance sheets. He is a true nation builder, empowering over 3,30,000 underprivileged girls through the Nanhi Kali initiative, promoting youth skilling and sustainable farming with the Nandi Foundation, and bringing a modern twist to traditional Indian sports through the Pro Kabaddi League. I have to gasp because the list goes on and on. He has given chess a global stage with the creation of the world's first franchised global chess league. And when it comes to celebrating art and culture, sir has left no stone unturned. From Mahindra Blues to Mahindra Theatre Awards, his contributions reflect his deep commitment to preserving creativity and history. So ladies and gentlemen, let's give a roaring round of applause and a warm welcome to a true national icon, the man, the man who inspires us to dream bigger and bigger and do better. Shri Anand Mahindra ji. Please sir, take your seat. And now I would request you to please start the interaction.

Enterprise initiatives, how can they help young innovators bring their ideas to life and scale them for impact?

We have a question from Jigyasaa Jan from Madhya Pradesh. She says: 'Youth need guidance to come into startups and business. How important is this guidance, and how should young people choose a mentor or guru?'

No, corporate leaders have created many jobs in India. The young have their own understanding of how they want to lead their lives, and that is leading to a lot of debate. As you may be aware about work-life balance, and there are prescriptions on 70-hour work weeks, 90-hour work weeks. How do you address something like that? You know, what is your idea of this balance, and how much is too much?

You are very successful. If I could ask you, how many hours a week do you work?

And this is you giving us tips. You look very fit. It's not a trick question. How much time in a day do you spend on social media, because you use social media game and yet you have managed time so well? Because you've built institutions, and I think we can all learn.

I mean, this is a challenge that you know. I am often asked this question. Then I am asked about, do you have an office that manages it? If anyone read my tweets, if you think my office can write like that, then I've got a fabulous team who live inside my head, you know? I don't know why people even ask that. So then you say, how much time do you have? And every time I will get in my timeline, 'You are wasting time, do work.' This kind of thing keeps coming up. I want to tell people, I'm not... And I have been asked, I am on X on social media not because I am lonely. My wife is wonderful, I love staring at her, I spend more time... So I'm not here to make friends. I am here because people don't understand it is an amazing business tool. How on one platform I get feedback from 11 million people. If I ask any research firm to tell me, can you get me a sample of 11 million? You know what they charge me? So frankly, I once asked Microsoft to create a cockpit for me that tells me how I can see what's happening in my factory, what's happening here, what's happening there. And they said a million dollars. So I said, can you do it? And then came a free one. So everybody out, mobile camera. I give you a tip. Just to empower young people, one of them was a person who tweeted to me saying, 'You know, I want to thank you. My girlfriend and I went to a concert in Nashik, and she got sick and was throwing up right outside the wall of Pawan.' You know, this story I've told you. And she said, 'At that time, a chowkidar from the factory, the security officer came out and he helped us and got her water, and I just want to thank you.' It's a wonderful gesture. It chased us away. So I called up the factory manager and I said, 'Find out who this chowkidar is. I want you to felicitate him in front of people, give some flowers from me, and that sets the culture.'

Now you tell me, you talk about culture. What do you think those people are thinking? 'Anand Mahindra ji, how did he find out? He is sitting in Nariman Point, Mumbai. How did he know this happened?' And what was the message I sent about what culture we wanted? How do you find another tool to do that? So it's invaluable to have that kind of platform. That's why I'm on it again. Not on it because I need friends. No, no, you should be on it. You dispense a lot of advice, and I can clearly see the connect. You know, everything that you said and what you do... Obviously, you talked about AI, audacity, and integrity. The other kind of AI that is also coming and being talked about a lot, and most likely coming for a lot of jobs as well. How can the youth upskill themselves and prepare themselves as they enter the workforce? They're not even clear about what sort of workforce or what sort of job market there will be.

A young leader's political awareness as part of youth in India, you should have for nation building. What kind of trap? Let me for you, your question. We have a minister, we should ask him that question. What political awareness should people have?

We'll take one more question from the audience. Harsh Shat Kumar from Gujarat.

We can do better in manufacturing units. We have Apple labor force as well as a huge market. We as young leaders, how can we contribute to the manufacturing sector so that there is better growth?

Right. You said audacity, integrity, resilience. That was your last question.

A final question. You hold to it. Please make sure it's the final question. I am a journalist. No, we are talking about Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue. How can platforms like this help? You already given ideas on what can be done and how can we make it a continuous process rather than one event and forget about it. But how important you think it is to bring so many young leaders from across the country to one platform, to engage with them? What sort of a difference do you think it makes?

Absolutely. Thank you very much for your insights. I am sure everyone here is inspired. All those leaders inspired to work together to create a Viksit Bharat that is obviously developed and that is also proud of its heritage. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Thank you, ma'am. May I request you to please be on the stage? Because now, ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honor to invite our very own My Bharat volunteers to felicitate our esteemed guests with paintings made by them in this momentous event in our very own Bharat Mandapam. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome.

Jagannath, please welcome Jagannath to felicitate Anand Mahindra.

Sir, these paintings are made by them here in this event in Bharat Mandapam. And now, Ajay Kumar to felicitate Palki Upadhyay.

Ma'am, you can see the talent of Bharat coming here on the stage. Now at this point, may I kindly request our guests to please be on their seats. Thank you so much.

And now as we come to the conclusion of this wonderful event, it is only fitting that we express our gratitude to everyone who made this day so special. For this, I would now like to invite Smt. Raksha Khadse ji, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, whose unwavering support and guidance have been instrumental in making this event a success, to deliver the vote of thanks. Ma'am, the stage is yours. Please welcome her with a thunderous round of applause, everybody.

Respected dignitaries on the stage, distinguished guests, National Youth Icons, and all the young friends present here. Today, I have been given the honor to present the vote of thanks for this important and inspiring Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue program. First of all, we express our heartfelt gratitude to our honorable Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya ji, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, who started this big platform to realize the dream of our Prime Minister ji of a developed India, through the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue. And today, this program is being realized in this grand Bharat Mandapam. I also want to say that today, respected Mansukh ji, through his thoughts, empowered the youth and connected the power of youth with this developed India. He presented his thoughts before all of us. Along with that, I would also like to thank Dr. Anand Mahindra ji, who took time out of his busy schedule for us and presented very good thoughts before us. And today, special thanks to Smt. Palki Sharma Upadhyay ji, who is a fearless journalist and an example of women empowerment, who always brought forward an idea for all the women of our country and has given us all inspiration. Along with that, the distinguished Somnath ji, who is the Chairman of ISRO, is also with us today in this program. Also with us today are Ronnie ji and also in this program, Abhijit Kranti ji is also here. I express my heartfelt gratitude to them. And today, all the National Icons present here, I also thank all those friends that today, through this big platform, you are connecting with all the young friends of our country. I would also like to thank our ministry that everyone worked very hard to bring this grand program before us today. All the NYKS officers, NSS officers, all the My Bharat volunteers, all the children, I express my gratitude. And along with that, I also express my gratitude to ITPO for providing all the arrangements here. Through which such a big program is happening here today. And I express my hope that the program that is happening today in this Bharat Mandapam, and the dream of our Prime Minister ji that by 2047 we have to see this country as a developed India, and today, I would like to urge all the children present here to join this mission. We all have to join this mission, and when India becomes developed, we have to see that. This is what I want to say to all of you. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.

Thank you so much, ma'am, for your kind words. And now, a surprise for you all. We are going to take a photograph. The photograph. So I request you all calmly and quietly, arise on your seats, please. All the young leaders, very calmly and quietly. We have to show the discipline of My Bharat volunteers. And I request the photographer, please come on the stage and take a group photo of everybody.

Nobody move from their seats. Everyone stay at your place. A picture of the future 3000 young leaders with the present India, which shows the resolve of a developed India.

What a wonderful sight. Thank you so much, team. I request everyone to be at your places until the guests have left. Everyone be at your places. Please remain seated until our honored guests and minister leave the auditorium. Maintain decorum. Stay in your places.

Thank you so much. I request everyone to be at your places until the guests have left. Everyone be at your places. Please remain seated until our honored guests and minister leave the auditorium. Maintain decorum. Stay in your places.