How youth initiative CTI is leveraging student power to make India a better place

Youth have the power; it just needs to be harnessed. And Hyderabad-based Council for Transforming India (CTI) is doing the best they can to channelise the potential of youngsters through the various activities they organise. Take for example the national essay competition they organised on Gandhian Perspective of Development on the occasion of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Convener Rohith Vakrala and Executive Director Sriharshitha Chada tell us that students all the way from IIT Delhi to IIT Madras took part. It was the Vice-President of India Venkaiah Naidu who suggested that they do something to emphasise the importance of Gandhian ideology. "He wanted us to make youngsters think about Mahatma Gandhi," says 22-year-old Rohith.

All in a row: CTI’s Co-Convener Shanmukha Rao with Rohith Vakrala and Sriharshitha Chada | (Pic: CTI)

The current cause that they are throwing all of their might behind is road safety. More specifically, making it mandatory for applicants to fill in their blood group while applying for a driving licence. "Usually, road accidents result in blood loss and a loss of consciousness. In this state, precious time is wasted in finding out the victim's blood group. This mess can be avoided if the blood group is mentioned in the driving license," explains 19-year-old Sriharshitha. 

They have also started offering internships, which they initiated last year. Four students have been given the opportunity so far

 
In this regard, they have met many government officials including those from the Transport Department, Government of Telangana, Vemula Prashanth Reddy, Minister of Roads & Buildings Legislative Affairs and Housing, and many others. "Transport falls in the concurrent list, so equal responsibility lies with both the Centre and the State, which makes things a little more difficult. But we are happy to have taken it this far," says the duo, who are not stopping at this. They have already involved youngsters by conducting awareness programmes in colleges like Malla Reddy College of Engineering and Technology, MLR Institute of Technology, CMR College of Engineering and Technology and so on. In these sessions, the team goes beyond just talking about helmet and seat belts.

On the road: CTI members doing their bit | (Pic: CTI)

Next, for the Constitution Day coming up on November 26, CTI is planning to conduct a constitutional conclave to invoke the importance of the Constitution. "Citizens lack awareness of the law, but everyone sure does have an opinion on it. So, we want to change that," says Sriharshitha, the third-year law student from Symbiosis Law School. All this in a bid to fill the gap between wanting to do something and actually doing something. "We want the youth to feel as if they are contributing to a cause. Also, we don't believe in a radical ideology, we want to do things in the right manner," says Rohith who is pursuing his final year of BTech.   

An event to note
CTI recently conducted an event called Transforming India Summit 2019 which included guests like:

Gundlapally Ramalinga Reddy - Founder of Husys Consulting
Harikrishna Mamidi - Director, Department of Language and Culture, Government of Telangana
Marri Laxman Reddy -  Chairman, MLR Group Of Institutions

All smiles: CTI members with Kavitha Kalvakuntla, Founder and President, Telangana Jagruthi | (Pic: CTI)

For more on them, check out facebook.com/CouncilforTransformingIndia