Kochi: Building a sustainable and promising future for Kerala demands a collective voice of the youth to drive positive changes in society, Justice Devan Ramachandran said here on Sunday. Justice Ramachandran stressed the need to understand the reasons behind the recent trend of many young people increasingly emigrating from the state. He was inaugurating the Think Kerala Youth Conclave held at the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).
Justice Ramachandran pointed out that Kerala has around 75 lakh workers from other states, indicating a shift necessary in Malayali work ethic. “Ensuring women's safety is important in the development of a healthy society by enabling them to walk freely in public space at any time,” he said adding that crime reduction requires not just punishment but also public awareness. He also called for dismantling societal prejudices to achieve fairness and equal opportunity for all.
Justice Ramachandran urged the youth to become a driving force for positive social change. The conclave, themed ‘Dream Kerala is Possible’, brought together 300 young people aged between 18 and 30. Experts from various fields engaged in discussions and interacted with the participants.
CMFRI director Dr A Gopalakrishnan presided over the function. The conclave identified the need to improve higher education to meet global standards and create more job opportunities. It highlighted the challenges of youth unemployment and underemployment. The discussions emphasised the importance of entrepreneurship and agriculture as potential sources of income for young people. It observed a need to break social stereotypes and empower the youth to move forward.
Prominent figures like Technopark founder CEO G Vijayaraghavan, Muralee Thummarukudy, Prasanth Nair IAS, Santhosh George Kulangara, Prof Achuthsankar S Nair, Adv Parvathy Menon, Sreejith Panicker, Ramesh Pisharody, Chef Suresh Pillai, Suja Chandy, Krishnakumar KT, Dr Ananthu, Adv OM Shalina and Abhilash Pillai participated in the debates.
