An Open Letter to Gen Alpha: The future is yours — but build it well

You are in the best years of your life — free of responsibilities, surrounded by teachers and parents shaping your future. Value them. Learn from their experience

By Brig Advitya Madan (retd)

You, the remarkable Generation Alpha — born between 2010 and 2024 — evoke immense hope in me. You are more creative, fearless, tech-savvy, and adaptable than we ever were. As someone who teaches many of you while preparing you for competitive armed forces exams, I get a close view of your potential. But potential alone is never enough. What you do with it will decide the future of this nation.

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The first lesson I want to share is the importance of teamwork. Individual brilliance matters little if it does not strengthen the collective. Look at how the Indian women’s cricket team recently won the World Cup. They began with setbacks, but every player contributed at key moments, and together they lifted the trophy.

I recall a moment during my tenure as an instructor at the Indian Military Academy. In the finals of a cross-country competition, a top runner from my Cassino Company was closing in on a medal when he saw a younger company-mate twist his ankle and collapse. Without hesitation, he lifted the injured cadet across his shoulders and carried him all the way. They finished far behind — but because no one was left behind, the company as a whole won. That is what true leadership looks like: choosing the team over personal glory.

Discipline is another cornerstone of success. It begins with small habits — sleeping early, waking early, and making your bed. This simple act sets the tone for perfection throughout the day. As a student at Punjab Public School, Nabha, I never understood why our housemaster insisted that the bed be made immaculately. Only later did I realise that the discipline of small tasks shapes the discipline required for great achievements.

Courage comes next — both physical and moral. Physical courage is visible: entering a boxing ring, leaping from a 10-metre board, or charging ahead despite fear. But moral courage is far rarer and far more valuable. It is the courage to stand firm on what is right, even when your career may be at stake. Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw displayed this in 1971 when he politely but firmly told Prime Minister Indira Gandhi that the timing was wrong for an offensive in East Pakistan. His honesty ensured India’s decisive victory months later. Cultivate that courage.

Then comes passion. Passion is when hard work turns into joy, when long hours do not exhaust you but energise you. Identify what you love — whether academics, sports, music, technology, or soldiering — and strive to excel.

Character is equally non-negotiable. Remember when Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist walked away in the 2003 World Cup after edging the ball, even though the umpire hadn’t declared him out? That honesty changed nothing about his team’s strength but said everything about his character. Let integrity guide you, even when no one is watching.

You are in the best years of your life — free of responsibilities, blessed with teachers and parents who mould your future. Value them. Learn from their experience. The wise learn from others’ mistakes; the foolish learn only from their own suffering.

Finally, read — every day. Reduce social media. Don’t become one of those who walk across traffic staring at a screen, oblivious to life itself. And follow nature’s rhythm: work in the day, rest at night. Do not reverse it.

(The author is a retired Army officer)