An Icon for India’s Youth
Whenever the postman knocks on my door, the first thought that comes to mind is: “Hope it’s my copy of The Teenager Today!” And if it is, I quickly open the packet and excitedly begin to devour all the articles in the magazine in one sitting!
I’m not a teenager — my days of being one ended in the late ‘70s — but the power of the highly-readable content and vibrant visuals/layout has this magical way of transforming me into a teenager! And who wouldn’t want to be a teenager again, even if it was only for a brief while?
And believe me, I’m not the only sixty-plus old guy reading The Teenager Today. Like me, several of my contemporaries whom I know for sure are regular subscribers to this unique Indian youth magazine. And then there are the seniors who are too embarrassed to be caught reading a teenage periodical, but secretly read it anyway — they pinch the copies from their teenage grandchildren and enjoy them on the sly!
I’ve been a true admirer of this magazine for a very long time. Now in its 60th year of publication, I’d like to think of it as an icon for India’s youth, a leading light that acts as a guide for good living. Without being preachy, the editors, past and present, strive hard to serve the readers with a delectable array of inspirational articles, interviews, news items and clean-fun jokes and cartoons. The question of religion or politics does not come into the picture, thus enabling anyone from any background to enjoy the magazine without worrying about hidden agendas.
The Teenager Today has a special place in my heart. I grew up with it, so to speak, and it has become a close friend over the years. When, for some reason, I miss an issue, I feel listless and yearn for that brief transformation into the world of being young.
All of us have this fantastic opportunity of being a teenager once in our lifetime. The Teenager Today nurtures this gift of youth and highlights the opportunities that are there for young people in today’s world. Grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts and friends need to see the goodness in gifting a subscription to The Teenager Today to their loved ones. The pure joy that this magazine gives its readers is difficult to measure. It’ll be a gift that shapes a young person’s life. I’m an example: it has shaped mine!
Hold on! Someone’s knocking on my door! Let me get it. I hope it’s the postman with my copy of The Teenager Today!
Harry MacLure is the Editor of Anglos In The Wind magazine, co-author of the book The Anglo-Indians — A 500-Year History, short story writer, comic book illustrator and filmmaker.