Arihant Parakh is the new chairperson of ICC Young Leaders Forum. Having completed 10 years at Orbit Group, Arihant also holds a degree in masters in finance from Cass Business School in London, loves golf, enjoys learning about new technologies and believes that the youth of the city are its source of strength. Ahead of his first event as the chairperson, Arihant chatted with t2 on his plans for YLF and more.
You were studying in London, what prompted you to come back to Calcutta and get interested in ICC YLF?
I have always been a Calcutta boy, through and through. As someone who is born and raised here, I have and will always have a very strong connection to the city. Even though I went to a city like London for my Masters, I was always clear in my head that I eventually wanted to come back to the city that has given me so much. Coincidentally, as I was graduating from my university in 2011, Calcutta was at the cusp of undergoing monumental changes. I wanted to contribute and be a part of thisI have always been a Calcutta boy, through and through. As someone who is born and raised here, I have and will always have a very strong connection to the city. Even though I went to a city like London for my Masters, I was always clear in my head that I eventually wanted to come back to the city that has given me so much. Coincidentally, as I was graduating from my university in 2011, Calcutta was at the cusp of undergoing monumental changes. I wanted to contribute and be a part of this growth story and my family business at Orbit Group, which does real-estate construction, seemed to be the perfect platform to do just that.
In 2017, I was approached to become a member of ICC’s Young Leader’s Forum and was among the handful of members trusted with the responsibility of reviving it. The aim was to make YLF the most progressive and sought-after youth forums in Calcutta and I’m glad that over the years we have been on course towards fulfilling this exciting task that we were entrusted with. I take immense pride that in a short span of just five years YLF has become an exciting platform for young entrepreneurs and leaders of Calcutta to not only socialise but also add to their knowledge and outreach.
During your tenure what are the areas you intend to focus on?
My declared vision for YLF during my tenure is named EVOLVE. The idea is for YLF to provide a platform that allows and encourages its members to evolve on both personal and professional fronts. I believe that the need and ability to constantly evolve as individuals is a fundamental trait that all young entrepreneurs and leaders should possess. Evolution in one’s thinking, personal and professional relationships, collective responsibility, personal health, etc. through exciting and engaging events will be areas of focus this year.
Expansion of YLF under ICC in other metropolitan cities is also something that I am actively looking to initiate and achieve. I think it is now time that young leaders around the country unite and promote mutual growth and incidentally the evolution of our nation.
How do you intend to carry out your role?
I believe that the success of any Forum and its chairperson, especially a youth forum, depends on the ability of its members to build and maintain a strong team with a shared vision. The success of YLF thus far is a testimonial to this. With a sharp increase in the number of members in the last two years, I want to unite everyone and make the forum even more cohesive. Active participation and strong inter-personal relations will be encouraged. I want to be a custodian of a collective effort towards upliftment and enrichment of all.
What are the guests and sessions one can look forward to?
YLF’s sessions have always been very intriguing over a varied range including but not limited to health, politics, fashion, business, media, glamour and so on. The upcoming year shall be no different. To name a few, we are already in talks with prominent personalities in the fields of spirituality, comedy, business, Bollywood, political and Indian administration and police services. These sessions will provide the members insights into the minds and lives of our guests and allow them to learn, experience and evolve.
How does YLF remain different from the other youth forums?
We at YLF don’t intend to compare ourselves with other forums in the city. On the contrary, we intend to learn from the other forums and also to set benchmarks that others may follow. Each and every youth forum is unique in its own way. The differentiating factor for YLF is its set of dynamic members. We are a group of strong like-minded individuals working towards a unified goal. As a relatively young and upcoming forum, YLF has been curating events such as the Pride of Bengal awards, interactive sessions with stalwarts like Sashi Tharoor, Deepak Parekh, Ravi Shastri and Kareena Kapoor Khan, the likes of which Calcutta hasn’t experienced before.
