A few communication lessons for the Government, BJP and everyone in public life: 1. India’s biggest communication problem is TV news and MSM. At least, that’s how a large section of people now sees it. They believe it has destroyed trust and poisoned public conversation. You may not realise it now, but India’s biggest enemy is Indian TV news. It has now become your enemy too. The more you use it, the more damage it is likely to cause. After graduating from the @IIMC_India , my first job was at @IndiaToday because, like every journalism student then, I wanted to become like the great journalists I saw there. Today, if a child wants to become a journalist, can any parent or teacher name three TV journalists as role models? Why not? An aspiring cricketer has Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli or Yashasvi Jaiswal. Who does an aspiring TV journalist have? In fact, many young people are told, “become anything, but don’t become a TV journalist”. 2. If you don’t want another protest that you neither understand nor know how to handle, rethink TV news. Right now, it’s working against you, not for you. Why should hardworking salaried reporters get all the hate for decisions taken by editors and owners? Next time there’s a protest, ask the owners to stand in front. That alone could transform the TV news business model. Seriously, why are the owners in hiding? Shouldn’t they also be accountable for damaging India’s socio-political fabric? 3. Don’t make the mistake of believing this happened because of Instagram. And don’t make the bigger mistake of thinking Instagram can be fixed to defeat the Gen Z narrative. It will backfire. No matter what you do, you can’t manufacture authenticity. 4. Everyone even remotely in power should switch to silent mode for a while. Ask the shouting spokespersons and television regulars to disappear for a while. On the environment, send environmental experts. On the economy, send economists. On education, send educationists. On healthcare, send doctors and public health experts. Stop relying on political performers who turn every debate, whether it’s about pollution, jobs, education or healthcare, into communal or factional politics. Replace them with genuine subject experts. 5. We don’t want India to become Western. But we must make India modern. Stop celebrating regressive ideas. Talk more about science, philosophy, art, poetry, creativity, innovation and the dignity of every citizen. 6. Fix our crumbling cities. Clean our air. 7. Listen more. Let your work speak. I hope this moment becomes an opportunity to rethink how we communicate with a new generation. Looking forward to a developed, happy and innovative India.