You don't have to compromise on your dreams, author Amish Tripathi's message to the youth

IIM Kolkata graduate and a former banker, this author has an enviable  fan following. Amish Tripathi, a favourite amongst the youth, spoke at the Young Makers Conclave in New Delhi, where plenty of young minds were present for this massive event. His book, the Shiva Trilogy, has sold more than a million copies, and he has even bagged an advance of $1 Million from Westland publisher for his upcoming book .

Talking about India and its culture, Amish explained how he was fascinated by Indian history, but that couldn't be turned into a lucrative career option, many told him. However, by his own admission, Amish's knowledge of history has given him a great insight into Indian society.

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As far as Indian traditions go, our ancestors told us to respect, love and abide by what the elders of the family tell us to do. Amish poses a question to this practice and asks if respect and love means that we always listen to what others expect of us? Do we throw water at the flame that ignites in us?

"No", an echo that comes from the audience.

The young mind needs to be rebellious because that is how innovation takes place. "The most powerful root of growth is in fact innovation", says Amish. Taking reference from the ancient scriptures, Amish says rebelliousness has always been at the heart of Indians.

Amish Tripathi at the Young Makers Conclave in New Delhi, addressing the crowd.

 A word of caution though. "Now before you throw a tantrum and begin doing whatever the hell you want, your actions need to be 'coupled with karma and constrained by dharma', says Amish.

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Be a catalyst of change, instead of complaining - get involved, become a story-teller and inspire millions with your ideas, gather crowd for a purpose that is supported by a cause and thought rather than just a stubborn whim. The cliche "be the change that you want to be" applied to our lives will definitely take India's youth ahead. These were some other gems from his talk.

Amish ends with a note telling everyone that the status of women was actually something to be proud of in ancient India. "There are idiots who say that women cannot read scriptures today, but historically there have been women who have contributed in the compilation of Rig Veda"

 The big takeaway from his lecture? What are we teaching ourselves? What are we learning from our past is the question that we need to ask ourselves. India has gone through phases of progression and regression, but we need to realise that blaming other factors is not fruitful. Looking within ourselves can help change today's scenario.