Swabhimaan Sanghathana, an organisation led by Nitesh Rane, the son of state industries minister Narayan Rao Rane held a single-day job fair in Mumbai that guaranteed 25,000 jobs to the youth that included the physically challenged from Maharashtra on 12 October, 2011 at Kamgar Maidan, Elphinstone Road, Mumbai.

Most job fairs in India are industry specific. The occasional career week that most colleges organise offer meagre pickings. But what happens when a one-day job fair that has been organised in the city assures 25,000 jobs to youths across the state? Well, apart from helping youth find gainful employment, such a humungous undertaking also leads to a world record being set, as was witnessed at a recent job fair.

The job fair was a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country to fulfil the career dreams of underprivileged youth who have not been able to complete their education. The positive response generated by the initiative brightened the lives of aspiring youngsters from across the state. Over 30,000 biodatas were received in response to the SMS invites for the job fair campaign sent across Maharashtra. What is more heartening is the fact that this event provided employment assurance to physically challenged youth as well.

While over 15,000 youths from Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan and Dombivli were guaranteed jobs with decent incomes at the operational and administrative level, over 10,000 jobs were provided to youth from the rest of Maharashtra (Konkan, Marathwada, Vidarbha, Western Maharashtra and Northern Maharashtra). Guinness World Record Adjudicator Rob Molly (the designated official) declared the attempt successful and awarded the NGO a certificate proclaiming the achievement.

The atmosphere at the job fair was brimming with hope and aspiration. Youngsters from across the state made their way to the fair. Serpentine queues stretching from Kamgar maidan up to Dadar station as well as Elphinstone Road station were seen near the venue.  Thousands of candidates braved the scorching October heat hoping to submit their resumes and get a job offer. And the organisers had ensured that these hopefuls were provided for. Vishal Thakkar, 23, from Dombivli, a candidate waiting in line outside the fair said, “I have been waiting for nearly three hours now and the line only seems to be growing longer. It’s very hot and most of us here are grateful to have some shade to stand under.”

The fair was buzzing with staffing personnel from 50 Indian and International prominent brands like Kaya Skin Clinic, Pizza Hut, Reliance and even LIC of India. Company branded stalls including prestigious names like DTDC Couriers, Future Group, Godrej, Dominos Pizza, Kotak Mahindra, Café Coffee Day, ING Vysya Bank, Cambata Aviation and Shoppers’ Stop were among the prominent hirers. Nitin Varnarya, member of Swabhimaan Sanghatna, said, “We have got about a 100 companies under one roof. People looking for jobs in these different sectors will find exactly what they’re looking for.”

The jobs being offered were mainly to students not fortunate enough to complete their education beyond school or junior college. The event received a phenomenal response with an 80 per cent turn out from Mumbai and neighbouring suburbs. The job fair also saw bus loads of people coming from tier 2 and tier 3 cities of Maharashtra like Nanded, Dhule, Amravati, Akola and Pune to name a few.

In the process, the event broke the previous world record of 250 jobs offered in a day, created in Denmark a few years ago. While awarding the world record certificate, Rob Molly congratulated Nitesh Rane saying, “This was a new record for a new category for me and it was a great experience. It’s amazing to see 25,000 happy faces benefiting from one single record.” The Guinness Book of World Record rules state that each candidate would be interviewed for a minimum of three minutes.

Commenting on the success of the job fair, Nitesh Rane said, “It wasn’t the record that really mattered. The real sense of satisfaction comes from looking at the smiling faces of unemployed youths and their families when they were handed their appointment letters. Being able to help secure their futures in some way is the real reward.”

The event saw thousands of hopefuls leave satisfied when their search for jobs to help sustain their livelihood was finally met with success. Satish Khimani, a second-year BA student from Thane, said, “It’s better to have found something than to sit around and do nothing.” According to Sarvesh Thakur, a BCom graduate, who stood in the queue for hours said, “I got a job with a company in Sion as a data entry executive at a monthly salary of R7,500. If all it took was standing in line, I am pretty satisfied with the outcome.”

Chintan Swamy, 21, another hopeful from Nerul said, “We were lucky that we got to know about this job fair. I have been looking for a job for over a year now and nothing has been coming my way. Hopefully, today I will find something at this fair.”

Shakira Sheikh, a 24-year-old engineering hopeful and a candidate at the job fair says, “This job fair has been very helpful. I have submitted my CV to quite a few companies. It’s just unfortunate that most of these companies are looking for male engineering candidates. But I’m optimistic and I believe that something will come my way.”

Shweta Raykar, a 19-year-old HSC drop out from Mumbai, who secured a job with Kaya said, “Today, I found a job and I have only God and Nitesh Rane to thank for this opportunity. If it wasn’t for this job fair, I would not have been so fortunate. This job fair has been a blessing and I feel that everyone leaving here today with a job feels exactly the way I do.”

Praising the efforts of his team, Nitish Rane said, “It is a great feeling to see that our efforts haven’t gone in vain. It’s reassuring to know that putting up a vada pav stall or becoming an illegal hawker is not the only career option left for them today. This job fair was a way to help our youth secure their future and we have succeeded in doing so. Maybe this initiative will help foster large-scale job fairs in the future.”

A Man of Action

Youth leader Nitesh Narayan Rane believes in speaking through his work rather than mouthing empty words. Yuva speaks to the founder of Swabhimaan as he celebrates the record-setting success of his latest initiative,
a job-fair for underprivileged, unemployed youth  
By Anujeet Majumdar

For the past six years, Nitesh Narayan Rane, founder of Swabhimaan Sanghathana, an NGO that has been conscientiously working to bring into focus many of the social issues plaguing our society. Be it water problems or development issues, this young son of the soil who enjoys reading and drawing caricatures, has led the fight from the front.

An adventure sports fanatic, he loves to push his limits and surprise himself continuously. Recently, his untiring efforts led to a new Guinness World Record being set when a job fair organised by Swabhimaan resulted in ensuring permanent employment for 25,300 youngsters in just one day. We caught up with Nitesh Rane and discussed this latest achievement, his views on youth today and his political philosophy.

How did the idea of organising a job fair on such a huge scale come about?
In the state of Maharashtra, there has always been a requirement of jobs. And the target groups that I had selected, which were the seventh and eighth grade failures, or the 10th-12th pass, have always been a target group that has been politically and socially sensitive. These youngsters have always been the most vulnerable, be it in politics or in general, wherein anyone can come in and promise them 10 things and get votes by making fake promises.

So, I thought it was high time someone conducted a job fair that provides jobs to the people who actually need it. The target group I selected doesn’t have that many windows to capitalise on. I zeroed in on a certain number, researched the kind of jobs that I could provide for that target group and then went ahead, confident that I could make a difference in the life of these youngsters.

How does it feel to set a Guinness World Record?
The record was a smaller part of a larger goal. The satisfaction I felt at being able to touch 1 lakh families by giving one of their family members’ a job was a much more gratifying feeling. But yes, it felt good to be recognised by an organisation that is world famous. It feels good.

This was a first-of-its-kind initiative that focused on youngsters who could not complete their education as well as the moderately educated unemployed. Generally, the Indian education system on the whole is widely considered to be ill-equipped to prepare us for a professional life. What are your thoughts on this view?
People do not get a good education for a variety of reasons, be they financial inability, family compulsions or social circumstances. Sometimes the parents cannot afford it, or there are family disputes. So there are many reasons, which I cannot directly connect to the failure of the educational system.

However, I would like to say that if the system includes a lot more of skill and vocational development programmes, similar to the graduate and post-graduate programmes available, it would definitely help. Because once that happens then seeking a job becomes a lot easier. So, if our state or central government starts catering to that, then there will be a marked improvement in the way things are going.

What changes would you like to see in the education system so that the rate of drop-outs is reduced and our youth is readied for a secure life rather than just a degree?
Frankly, the system has to deliver more. The syllabus has to be directly or indirectly related to the student’s life. It should impact the lives of these students once they pass out of college. So many times you see people studying subjects that have no relevance in real life. That kind of practical education should be implemented. Then the system will deliver at a very different level. That, I think will help reduce unemployment and prepare our youth for the future.

India’s young population is its biggest asset. What is your understanding of the youth of India?
I feel that if we only talk about it and not do anything, then it is an asset that is just kept on the shelf and not made use of. If we think that the youth of this nation are an asset then we should be ready to tap their potential as much as possible, encourage them to get involved in the system as much as possible.

We always say that India is a young country and this number mainly constitutes youngsters, but that is all talk and no real work. But if we all contribute in our own way to the larger picture of taking our country to the next level then we will see results. If one youngster can think about giving 25,300 jobs out in a day and does it, then I think everyone can. It’s all about will power.   

What according to you are the key strengths and weaknesses of Indian youngsters?
Self-confidence and self-respect are the things we lack and these are our weaknesses. I am not saying we don’t have the talent in our country. We have a lot of talent in Maharashtra itself. But as they say, success is all about 99 per cent hard work and 1 per cent luck. And while we have all the hard work, when it comes down to luck we don’t have the self-confidence and self-respect that is needed. That is the biggest weakness that I have noticed, in the rural as well as to a certain degree in the urban areas. Somewhere, we lack the self-respect which we need to counter in order to forge ahead.

How have their aspirations and concerns changed in the past decade? Are they lost in the pursuit of material gains?
I think over the years, youth have become more vocal and ambitious. They want to reach the stars but because of external reasons and circumstances not foreseen, they are held back. I believe they need to be exposed to the practical reality of life as much as is possible. You don’t understand the real issues unless you face reality. Once they get exposed to that, they will be more competent. And as far as dreams go, I don’t think they have gotten more commercial, I believe that people have just become more practical. If you find someone who says money is not important, then he is lying. We are all ambitious but we have to realise that we need to be grounded in order to become better people as well.

Do you think Indian youngsters are not as politically active as they should be?
In terms of political activity, I believe that they do talk about their rights but they do not do it on a right platform. Even today we do not have 100 per cent voting. People are immensely active on Facebook or Twitter, but when it comes to voting day, they treat it like a holiday. That is a problem because if you don’t like a politician, the constitution has given us the right to choose who we want. If you are not going to exercise your responsibility then you don’t have the right to bad-mouth someone either. Do it on the right platform rather than holding a candle outside the Taj. And while everyone is more aware, it is necessary to voice one’s concerns properly.

One has to understand, that everything is interlinked be it jobs or politics. If I don’t elect someone I like, then I can’t guarantee myself a good job. If I don’t become a part of the system then I can’t make sure that I get the future I want. The youth may have become independent with a house and a car of their own, but they still have to pay for electricity and water, all of which are interlinked with politics. If you need your everyday amenities you need to know your local politician.

What is the reason for widespread cynicism regarding politics and politicians in our country? How can this perception be corrected?
It all goes back to being able to deliver. If the system does not deliver then obviously the people will not believe it and will be cynical. People are tired of politicians who just give interviews and speak on public platforms. They will ask, what have you done? Today, I can say that I provided employment to 25,300 people. The public wants a number of people like me who deliver. We have to convince the people that we can fulfil our promises and restore their faith in us.

Are the existing political debates around religion and regionalism outdated concepts for today’s youth?
That is for sure. In today’s time, no one cares anymore about your caste or your religion. Those are just things that give us identity, but they do not ensure us jobs or money. Only our competence can ensure us that. Development is the key here, with the youth wanting better roads and better facilities. These issues are hyped by a certain part of the media for ratings (TRPs). But in general, no one bothers anymore.

Do you believe that the existing political system and political parties have failed to address the key concerns of the youth in particular and common man in general?
You can’t forget that today’s government has been elected by the people themselves, twice. So they do have the people’s faith. Of course, while you are governing there will obviously be good days and bad days, and while this government has seen quite a few bad days, there’s still three years to go. So I am sure there will be many good days to come. I just think that we should let them do their job. I genuinely believe that our country can’t bear another general election, so let it be and let the future show us what good can come.  

What would be your recommendations if someone wants to channel the energy of youngsters towards something constructive that builds a better society?
I would advice them to make the youth as practical and as grounded as possible. You need to get out into reality before calling yourself the common man. You need to ground yourself in the dreams of the youth in rural India. The youth needs to be shown how to contribute in the right way. They need to vote. The educated need to vote! Only then can they properly channel their energy.

Honestly, it takes a lot more energy for a politician to convince an educated person rather than the weaker section for their votes.

What were your motivations in launching Swabhimaan?
The core idea was to highlight the problems, provide a solution and deliver, rather than just talking and making false promises. In any sphere, from say the world of business to even media, every system has to deliver.

In the last 60 years of independence, we have heard countlesspromises from everyone, without any results. But in the next 50 years in our country, if you have social and political parties actually getting around and beginning to make good on their promises, then things will be different. I ideally wanted to fit into the bracket of people who deliver rather than people who just talk.

How is it different from a political party? Do you see it evolving into a political party?
According to the rules of politics, ideally you should not predict your future. You just need to make the right decision at the right time. As it stands today, Swabhimaan is different because we deliver. Even if you go back to the job fair, a lot of the political parties like the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have promised jobs for the last 45 to 50 years. But has any one ended up physically giving appointment letters in people’s hands? I don’t think anyone has done that, till we did it. Till date, the issues of the Marathi manoos and the sons of the soil not receiving employment opportunities have always been raised vocally, but nothing beyond that. When the constituency of Mumbai was given to the state of Maharashta, the percentage of Marathi manoos was 80 per cent, but now the census figure is at 27 per cent. This has happened because they have not become financially strong. They might have got a social identity, and politically known, but financial strength is still a problem.

That is why we organised the job fair on 12 October. We have offered them jobs which are not just class IV jobs. If you check the salaries of the jobs we were offering they began at R6,000 to R15,000. And all of them were permanent jobs, not temporary, contract or call centre kind of jobs. Now, if you can make one person in the family financially strong, then the statistics of the state changes.

What is your political philosophy? Do you see yourself entering mainstream politics in the near future? What would be your prime goals if you choose to join politics?
Eventually I would like to make a difference, on a broader platform. But I don’t want to get into the system just because I have a surname behind me. I want to change the system for the better. As far as goals go, rather than talking about them, I would rather my actions speak for me. But it is a continuous process where I need to keep delivering and keep doing what I have been doing for six years now. Nothing changes, as I will keep delivering.

Do you see yourself taking to the national stage or would you prefer focusing on the issues of Maharashtra only?
Right now I am only focusing on the state. I just want to understand their issues and problems and resolve them. As of now, there are no national ambitions.

What is your definition of development? Do you feel that an all-round inclusive growth is being sacrificed in pursuit of wealth in India today?
Development has to be overall. Developing cities like Mumbai or Pune in Maharashtra cannot be the focus of development. Only when every corner of the state receives due attention, can we really say that development is taking place. But at the same time, every state government is doing their bit. So, there is no apparent sacrifice as long as there is a priority list made about what is important for the bigger picture.

What are the most important lessons that you have learned from observing your father, Narayan Rao Rane?
I have personally learned to be more practical, to deliver, and to communicate better with the common man. You have to work hard to stay relevant.

Do you ever feel the burden of expectations being such a big leader’s son? What is the biggest benefit of being Narayan Rao Rane’s son? What is the biggest drawback?
I have learned to live with it. But the thing is, because you have a surname to back you, you have to work that much harder to prove yourself. People expect certain things from you. But the advantages exist because you have access to a lot more things.

What are the qualities that every good leader must possess?
The main quality is communication skills. A certain section doesn’t feel the need to communicate with the common man. If you are more accessible then it is always better. Those are the two main assets a leader should have.

Are these the qualities that set you apart as a leader?
In the last six years, I have stressed a great deal on being accessible and having good communication skills. I can only help people if I understand what their issues are, which will indirectly help me as well.