There is an urgent need to reestablish trust and confidence among people if we are to realize our dream of sustained growth and development.

The resolution of the issues at hand, which are restraining our growth and development, requires a mix of both experience and fresh perspective. It is essential to explore in a forward-looking manner issues and trends across a number of field.

FICCI's Young Leader's Forum was constituted to create a reservoir of new ideas and to motivate young people to influence the course of economic and social changes taking place around them.

It is FICCI's endeavour to provide a platform to motivated young achievers and decision makers already holding positions of considerable influence and responsibility, to network with like-minded achievers and the very people who are at the helm of policy making, to chart out new directions for nation building.

We are indeed fortunate to have such eminent young people in our midst today.

To begin with we have Mr. Omar Abdullah, the scion of one of the most distinguished political families of India. He represents modern India, is energetic, articulate and has made a positive impact on the Indian political scene and has made his presence felt from the very moment he joined public life. He was only 29 when he became the Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, and subsequently held the post of Union Minister of State for External Affairs.

We are also fortunate to have with us the young maharaja of Gwalior, who is amongst the youngest parliamentarians in India. The constituency of Guna reposed its faith in him by electing him with a thumping majority of4.5 lakh votes. Added to the political goodwill are Jyotiraditya's managerial skills which he acquired during the course of his education at Harvard and Stanford and his experience as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley. He also gained experience on global developmental issues during his stint at the UN Economic Development Cell. Our country certainly needs more of such highly accomplished and well-informed policy makers.

I would also like to extend a warm welcome to Mr. Rohit Bal who is one of the leading fashion designers of India and was once described by Time magazine as " India's master of fabric and fantasy". The regard he commands among the top echelons of international fashion is endorsed by a discerning high-profile clientele that includes some of the biggest names in the media, film, fashion and corporate world.

I am sure that with such eminent people gracing this occasion the ensuing discussion would be intellectually stimulating and definitely throw up new ideas for shaping a better future for the nation and the community we all live in.