THE ADOLESCENT MIND: BATTLEGROUND OF IDENTITIES

EAR the rock beach of Puducherry, there is a beautiful wall on which our great freedom fighters are portrayed. I was amazed to see my adolescent son trying to salute the wall in a clandestine manner, as he is worried about being teased for the act. Needless to say, the faces on the wall kindled his sense of patriotism.

- AMRUTH G KUMAR

An extension of this behavior was noticed on the morning of May 7, when the news broke of India striking nine terrorist camps in Pakistan. He meticulously gobbled up all the print and visual media coverage of the military action and kept on ascertaining India's ability to engage Pakistan.

At one point, he asked me: do you think Pakistan will use nuclear weapons? Before I could answer, he said, in that case Pakistan would be wiped out. I had heard this somewhere—the voice of a news anchor echoed in my ears. I am sure adolescents elsewhere would also be showing similar emotions when their nation is facing a war—be it in India, Pakistan, Russia or Ukraine.

In the school bus, on school corridors and social media groups, only a few topics spark as much interest among adolescents in India today as the country's military actions against Pakistan. Be it the surgical strike after the Uri attacks, Balakot strikes or Operation Sindoor. Adolescents do an autopsy of all the past conflicts between the two countries, and exchange nuanced information among themselves.