YOUNG LEADER: An Interview with Rohit Kumar Sharma, President, SRC, Namchi College

Welcome to Wandering Soul of Sikkim !

Dear Readers, Today In our Young Leader Series we present to you all, our interview with Mr. Rohit Kumar Sharma, President, Student Representative Council (SRC), Namchi Government College, Kamrang, South Sikkim. Rohit was born as the youngest child of Smt. Nar Maya Sharma and Shri Dilli Ram Sharma of Bhasmey, near Pakyong in East Sikkim. Here is the excerpts of our interview with our Young Leader:

Wandering Soul of Sikkim (WSOS): Would you like to share something about your early years and about your schooling?

Rohit Kumar Sharma (RKS): First of all I am thankful to the entire team of Wandering Soul of Sikkim for giving me this opportunity to be a part of the Young Leader Series.
Talking about my early years, my mother raised me in very hard circumstances; Our family is engaged in agricultural activities. My elder brother Mr. Madan Sharma has been my mentor. I completed the early years of my schooling from Little Angels school and thereafter moved to Padamchey Secondary school and Tikalal Nirola Senior Secondary School, Central Pendam to compete my secondary and senior secondary level studies. Presently I am pursuing my B.Sc in Mathematics here at Namchi Government College, Kamrang.

WSOS: What inspired you to join student politics?

RKS:Well since my childhood I was very interested towards politics because I always felt that politicians are social workers; and when I joined to Namchi Government College in the year 2015, I saw that the college was beautiful from outside, located separately from market area and have a nice environment to study, but when I entered into the college I could understand the problems that the students were facing. Firstly, students are studying in the 19th century education system where teacher enters the hall and teach to more then 200 students using blackboards. Students in the back benches have to understand by the lip-sing of the teachers what is being taught in the class.
Secondly, Our College have two separate hostels for boys and girls which was constructed many years back but till date it has not been made operational, As a result of this students have to stay in rental accomodations which is very expensive. Therefore, I joined student politics to try and solve the problems of the students and educate our younger generation and let them know about the politics, system and policies.

WSOS: What would be that one thing that you would like to change in the system when you get a chance to be inside?

RKS: Actually, there are a lot of things that need a change. Government talks about providing free education and they are giving a lot of importance to education sector but somehow they lack in providing quality and digital education to the students. Government spends a huge amount of money in the field of education but also something is missing as far as the quality of education is concerned. So to improve all these things young people should be involved in decision making bodies as they forms the majority of the population of Sikkim.

WSOS: What is your take on those who term politics to be “a dirty game”?

RKS: Politics in my point of view is not a dirty game but yes, some politicians makes it dirty. Politics is a platform to serve for the betterment of the society. It depends upon the individual how he/she utilise this platform. Their response reflects the meaning of politics.

WSOS:How important it is to involve students and youth in mainstream politics?

RKS:Young people are no strangers to scrutiny. We are used to our lives begin examined , and our habits questioned by our parents, teachers, prospective employers and friends. We are familiar with the politicians and the press & media who often criticises our behaviours.
Young people like us most be granted the opportunity to discuss current affairs and take notice of the policy areas where we have an important perspective. Take issues like the financial cost of higher education. Young people cannot complain unless they are seeking to contribute to some political arguments. We should -to some extent- stand up and be counted in order to prove that we are responsible enough and likely to engage in the process. Politics and the mainstream media must forget their differences and team up to get the youth and students in line with the responsibility of protecting future age groups from a huge societal burden; the welfare of younger people are just as essential as pensions and care in old age.
As students and youth are the backbone of the society and therefore, they must know the political situation for which it is very important for them to be involved in the mainstream politics.

WSOS: Your take on the need of an intellectual and informed debates in Sikkim about the issues that matters. How do you think can we engage young people to talk about issues that matters?

RKS: Politicians and Journalists should ensure that they discuss issues relating to young people and about things that matters and present them in a way that we can identify with. But we have never witnessed any such debate and discussion in our state. The chances are that most of us don’t hold party memberships, not because of lack of interest in contributing to public debate-but due to a barrier that system provide and has built up because of the alienation of few politicians. But if we start conducting intellectual and informed debates on important issues, then it will be a platform where youngsters can learn from elders and also our people can raise their issues on various matters.

WSOS: Your message to the youth of Sikkim.

RKS: Sometimes I want to treat people how they treat me, but I don’t because it is not in my character. My mother always taught me to do whatever I like to, but without harming others.
Get out of negativity, stop blaming anyone else for your problems, and stop blowing up small issues into epic tragedies. If you wallow in misery, you’ll never find a way out. Find the strength within yourself, I promise, it is there. Stop giving others the responsibility and power to define the outcome of your life. TAKE THE POWER BACK and LIVE YOUR LIFE.
I think Sikkim’s population comprises of almost 70% young people, so the youth of Sikkim has a huge responsibility on their shoulders to lead our state towards becoming the best state of India. So let’s work together…..

WSOS: Thank You Rohit for talking to Wandering Soul of Sikkim.