Young Indians Love: If we look back to 1857, we meet Vishnubhat Godse, a poor Brahmin who set out from Maharashtra to Mathura, hoping that a religious ceremony would earn him enough dakshina to lift his family from hardship. His travels, later recorded in Majha Pravas, are stunning in their detail—filled with bandits, war zones, and moments of sheer survival. He likely knew the risks. But he went anyway.
Fast forward to today, and we find a different kind of journey—one driven by digital ambition, market dreams, and personal reinvention. Young Indians are not afraid to dive deep into risky ventures, whether it’s investing in the stock market, trading global currencies, or launching start-ups from small-town balconies. This shift in mindset is striking, and it deserves a closer look.
If Risk Is a Fire, Ambition Is the Fuel
India’s youth are known for their immense energy and diverse dreams. They are crafting new identities and livelihoods in ways that previous generations never imagined. Risk has become more than just a calculation—it’s now an emotional, even sensory experience.
But here’s the twist: while the appetite for risk has grown, the systems that once softened its blow have quietly disappeared.
Let’s delve into that.
Drafting a Life Without a Net
In the past, if someone got sick, lost a job, or ran into financial trouble, extended families often stepped in. That cozy web of support—of relatives offering food, money, or care—wasn’t perfect, but it worked.
Today, those NEAT systems of support are unraveling.
Young people have moved away from hometowns to chase dreams in cities. They’re creating lives that are bold and full of potential—but often isolated. When things go wrong, there’s no easy fallback. Private healthcare is expensive. Government welfare systems cater to only a few. So while more and more young Indians are embracing risk, they’re doing it without the craftsmanship of a society that once balanced ambition with support.
Modern Indian Risk Taker
What we’re witnessing is not just a financial shift, but a cultural one. Risk-taking is now linked to identity, to personal freedom, and even to rebellion against traditional norms.
Take the example of homemakers trading currencies from their smartphones, or rural youth leveraging stock market apps with striking confidence. These stories resonate because they speak to something deeper—a desire to control one’s fate, to create something stunning out of uncertain circumstances.
And yet, the question remains: Who catches them if they fall?
The Role of Institutions (and Their Silence)
If we delve into the broader picture, we’ll find that India’s changing risk culture comes with thought-provoking consequences. In the West, disasters like Chernobyl forced people to question experts and demand new systems. In India, however, risky times seem to increase our reliance on strongman figures—leaders who promise safety, even when they offer little real shelter.
We have crafted a society where personal dreams are encouraged, but public safety nets have shrunk. Where ambition is immense, but protection is weak.
Whether it’s job loss, illness, or a failed business, there’s very little to soften the blow. It’s not just about economics—it’s about emotional resilience too. And the weight is heavy.
Let’s make a Better Future Together
So, what now?
Let’s not just admire the courage of young Indians—we must also support it. Let’s draft new structures that resonate with today’s realities. Let’s uncover and rebuild systems of support that cater to both ambition and vulnerability. Let’s leverage community, state policies, and even technology to offer cozy safety nets in a world full of sharp edges.
Let’s make a future where taking a risk doesn’t mean risking everything.
Because behind every daring move, behind every striking ambition, there’s a human being hoping for a soft place to land.