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Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “War is young men dying and old men talking."
Well, politics is not that different. It is a realm that has been historically dominated by old men. More often than not, the old guard refuses to make way for the youth resulting in stagnancy of ideas and orthodox methodologies.
Now speaking of this year's Lok Sabha elections, it was full of pleasant surprises. The people of India rejected a Ministerial overlordship and instead, opted to have the nation’s democracy intact with a strong opposition, even though the previous government will take office for a historic third term.
Also this time, the nation has opted to vote for seven young leaders under the age of thirty in the Lok Sabha. This year’s tally of youth representation in the Lok Sabha is at 1.2%. This is an upward-rising trend of youth representation patterns from the previous Lok Sabha, where youth representation was also at a similar 0.68%.
Slowly but steadily, this is a signifier of the nation embracing youth leaders in mainstream politics. Now, many may argue that these youth leaders hail from political dynasties and their nomination is a blatant example of nepotism. A more universal argument is that the lack of years for a politician symbolises their inexperience. None of these arguments are incorrect. However, those of us who supported the young candidates believe their success will depend on their upcoming actions and how they wield their new-found power.
Here are the seven youth leaders who have made history in this year's Lok Sabha elections:
I. Shambhavi Choudhary
Shambhavi Choudhary, 25, is a member of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). She is the daughter of Ashok Choudhary, who serves as the Cabinet Minister for the Building Construction Department in Nitish Kumar's government.
She earned a Master of Arts degree in Sociology from the Delhi School of Economics. Choudhary has been elected as a Member of Parliament representing the Samastipur Lok Sabha constituency. Shambhavi won their election by defeating Sunny Hazari of the Indian National Congress by a margin of 1,87,251 votes.
II. Priya Saroj
Priya Saroj, 25, is a politician and lawyer affiliated with the Samajwadi Party. She is the daughter of Tufani Saroj, who has served as an MP three times and is currently an MLA in Uttar Pradesh.
Priya completed her schooling at the Air Force Golden Jubilee Institute in New Delhi. She furthered her education by obtaining a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from Delhi University, followed by a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from Amity University in Noida.
In the 2024 Indian General Elections, Saroj was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Machhlishahr Lok Sabha constituency. She won by defeating B.P. Saroj by a margin of 35,850 votes.
III. Pushpendra Saroj
Born on March 1, 1999, Pushpendra became the youngest MP in India's history at the age of 25 years, 3 months, and 3 days, surpassing Chandrani Murmu's previous record.
He is affiliated with the Samajwadi Party and has won in the Kaushambi Lok Sabha constituency. Pushpendra is the son of Indrajit Saroj, who is the national general secretary of the Samajwadi Party. He graduated from Queen Mary University of London in 2019 with a degree in Accounting and Management.
IV. Sagar Eshwar Khandre
Sagar Eshwar Khandre, 26, is an Indian politician hailing from Bhalki, Karnataka. He is the son of Shri Eshwar Khandre, who serves as the MLA of Bhalki and is the cabinet minister for the forest, ecology, and environment department in Karnataka.
Sagar was elected as a Member of Parliament representing the Bidar Lok Sabha constituency and is a member of the Indian National Congress.
V. Sanjana Jatav
Sanjana Jatav, 26, a politician from Bharatpur, Rajasthan, emerged as a notable figure in the Congress party. She established herself as a dynamic leader with a commitment to addressing pressing issues such as crime, unemployment, and infrastructure development.
Her political journey began with a victory in the Alwar Zila Parishad elections, followed by a narrow defeat in the 2023 Rajasthan assembly elections. Despite this setback, Sanjana's candidacy symbolized the Congress party's strategic shift towards promoting young female leaders over traditional veterans.
This year, she secured a seat in the 18th Lok Sabha from Bharatpur, marking a significant milestone in her career.
Sanjana's campaign resonated with voters due to her focus on grassroots issues and her association with initiatives promoting women's empowerment, including the Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon campaign led by Priyanka Gandhi in eastern Rajasthan.
Supported by senior Congress leaders like Bhanwar Jitendra Singh and Vishvendra Singh, Sanjana's rise exemplifies a new generation of leaders emerging in Indian politics, ones who blend progressive agendas with grassroots activism.
Her dedication to amplifying the voices of rural communities and advocating for gender equality positions her as a promising force within the Congress party and the broader political landscape of Rajasthan.
VI. Priyanka Satish Jarkiholi
Priyanka Satish Jarkiholi, 27, is a burgeoning Indian politician hailing from Karnataka. She made her debut in politics by becoming the youngest tribal woman to ever become a Member of Parliament.
She won in the Chikkodi Lok Sabha Constituency in Belgavi District, representing the Indian National Congress. Priyanka originates from the tribal community in Yamakanmardi village, Chikkodi, Karnataka.
Beyond her political pursuits, she also manages her own business. Priyanka attained her Master of Business Administration degree in 2021 from Visvesvaraya Technological University in Belagavi, Karnataka.
VII. Iqra Choudhary
Iqra Choudhary, also recognized as Choudhary Iqra Munawwar Hasan is a politician who won from the Kairana Lok Sabha constituency. She is affiliated with the Samajwadi Party. Born into a Muslim Gujjar family to Chaudhary Munawwar Hasan, a former Member of the Rajya Sabha, and Begum Tabassum Hasan, a former Member of the Lok Sabha, Iqra has deep roots in politics.
Her family boasts a legacy of political service, with both her grandfather and parents having served as Members of Parliament. Presently, her brother, Chaudhary Nahid Hasan, holds the position of MLA from the Kairana Assembly constituency.
Iqra pursued her schooling at Queen Mary School in New Delhi and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University. She furthered her education by completing an MSc in International Politics Law from SOAS University of London in 2020.
Iqra embarked on her political journey in 2016 by contesting in the Zila Panchayat elections, although she lost by 5000 votes. Notably, she spearheaded an election campaign for her brother Nahid Hasan, whose candidacy has been marred by significant and serious legal issues. Her efforts contributed to Nahid's victory in the Kairana Assembly constituency.
In this year’s General Election, Iqra secured a landslide victory, triumphing over Pradeep Kumar of the Bharatiya Janata Party by a margin of 69,116 votes, thereby clinching her seat in the Lok Sabha.
