Young people are central to India’s sustainability journey. The climate crisis will not only impact the current generation, but it is also a unique opportunity for youth to turn this challenge into a meaningful economic and developmental pathway. Young people are not merely future stakeholders but active participants in shaping solutions. By engaging with the green economy, building relevant skills, and contributing innovative ideas, youth can play a decisive role in accelerating India’s transition towards a net-zero future. These reflections are shared by Pratyush Thakur, Investment Director and Country Head (India), Blueleaf Energy, while talking on the theme of ‘India’s Green Future Starts with Youth’ at a YuvaSustainability Roundtable with storytellers of the Yuva for Sustainability Internship Programme. Blueleaf Energy as a leading pan-Asian renewable energy platform specialising in utility-scale renewable projects.
In response to a question from Sabyasachi Senapati, a student of MSc (Chemistry), SCS Autonomous College, Puri, Odisha, on what skills young entrepreneurs must develop to contribute effectively to India’s clean energy transition and rural development, Pratyush Thakur says that it is essential to understand real problems by spending time with communities. He stresses that going back to the basics is critical and that meaningful understanding comes from engaging directly with people and their challenges. He explains that young entrepreneurs should dream big but start small. He points out that grid integration will be a major opportunity across hardware, software, and business domains, and notes that working in this area can be particularly useful.
Responding to a question from Teeshtha Bhawsar, a student of BA (Economics Honours), Kanoria PG Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Jaipur, Rajasthan, on how sustainability can evolve into a true mass movement, Thakur explains that movements can be run in different ways and identifies three categories of people who lead them. He describes the first category as smart and slightly self-centred businesspeople who are dedicated and resilient. He identifies the second group as those who impart and spread knowledge. He says the third category, which he considers the hardest and most selfless, is that of social activists, where the objective is purely the movement itself and the impact is defined by how people’s lives are changed. He adds that it is an individual choice whether impact is defined by improvements in quality of life or by the number of people affected.
In response to a question from Lavanya Upadhyay, a student of Master’s in Public Policy, St Xavier’s College, Mumbai, Maharashtra, on how India is turning its transition into a blueprint for other developing nations and its role in that process, Thakur says that India’s approach to structuring renewable energy development has been tremendous, particularly in contractual structures, market access, financing, and attracting equity. He notes that some of these features are not even available in developed markets. He highlights that India has an active spot power market, the Day-Ahead Market on the Indian Energy Exchange. He adds that while derivatives in power have recently been introduced, power trading has enabled generators and buyers to structure a wide variety of contracts. He emphasises that innovation on the contracting side is significant and supported by a strong contractual framework established by the central government. He also points out that India has set up and leads the International Solar Alliance.
Answering a question from Apoorva Mittal, a student of MSc (Botany), University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Rajasthan, on what sets India apart from other Asian markets and what it can learn from regional models, Thakur says that India is ahead due to a much more developed regulatory framework governing power generation, sale, distribution, and transmission. He states that the regulatory framework is strong, noting that the Electricity Act was passed in 2003, about 22 years ago, under which power generation was de-licenced, and that further amendments are forthcoming. He observes that many Southeast Asian countries still do not have such provisions. He says India is making progress each year through a more forward-leaning and liberal approach that allows greater private sector participation and reduces state involvement. He adds that the regulator’s primary responsibility is consumer protection, ensuring sustainable, affordable, and reliable power, while also enabling greater market efficiency. He notes that India can learn from more developed markets by framing regulation more liberally to attract investment, and identifies technology as another key area for learning.
In response to a question from Gaurangii Hari, a student of BA (Economics Honours), Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, on promising but often missed avenues for young professionals amid India’s renewable energy expansion, Thakur says that policy plays a critical role in investment decisions in this regulated sector. He explains that understanding and shaping policy is therefore very important. He reiterates that young professionals can choose different paths, such as taking up jobs, becoming teachers, advisers, social activists, or participating in bidding processes, depending on their preferences. He notes that shaping policy requires significant effort, and that economics is crucial in this context. He explains that both micro- and macro-economic understanding helps investment decision-makers guide strategy. He adds that a combination of economics, finance, and investments is therefore very important. On the technology front, he says there are significant opportunities in information technology, noting that while this area is widely discussed, it is more challenging than consumer-driven technology because scaling up is more complex.