Vice President’s Secretariat
Text of Vice-President’s address at Mohanlal Sukhadia University in Udaipur, Rajasthan
Posted On: 16 NOV 2024 6:56PM by PIB Delhi
Very good afternoon, all of you.
लड़कियों की संख्या कुछ कम है पर ज्यादा फर्क नहीं पड़ेगा। You will balance. Am I right? Professor Sunita Mishraji, this university has been in existence for over six decades, and with this name for four decades. It is for the first time that a woman has the opportunity to serve as Vice Chancellor of this university. She carries a great burden on her shoulders, having been appointed by former governor, Chancellor of this university, Kalraj Mishraji. There are very few people in the country in public life with this kind of experience and expertise. I have no doubt this university will be on incremental trajectory. Honourable Minister, Sri Hemant Meena Ji, very energetic minister. His presence means a lot and I am sure he will devote his energy to ensure by his presence that this industry attains greater heights. Professor M.S. Dhaka, Dean Mohanlal Sukhadia University. There are many in the audience. Who might know? But I will recognize the presence of Dr. Bhagwati Prasadji, a former vice chancellor of this university, whose contributions in Indian Institute of Science have been remarkable. But more importantly, I had the good fortune and occasion to be part of his team for a long time when we address issues concerning this nation. I therefore know depth of his knowledge, commitment to nationalism, and a very spirited young man don’t be guided by his age. His works, if you go through, will enlighten you.
The presence of members of the Sukhadia family, I vividly recollect. One face-to-face interaction I could have with our very distinguished former Chief Minister Sukhadiya Singh. The presence of Sukhadiya family members, Shrimati Neelima ji, Shri Deepak Sukhadiya ji, means a lot for the occasion. Distinguished members of the faculty, because an institution is defined not by infrastructure alone, it is the faculty that is the essence of it. Faculty of an institution is its spinal strength. And my greetings to them, members of the staff, Officials of the government of Rajasthan and most important, my dear boys and girls, I’m here because of you. I’m here to speak, not out of my mind. not out of my heart. I want to speak to you with my mind, heart and soul, all being in sync. And I’ll be addressing issues that concern you the most. Mohanlal Sukhadiyaji, a multifaceted personality. To begin his career, he was a minister. He had the good distinction to be continually chief minister for 17 years. He adorned the office of governor, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka. He was the first governor of Karnataka. Earlier to that, he was governor of Mysore. There was a transition in the name. So indeed, a versatile man. I would first focus on the state of the nation. Where are we in this country at the moment? Because for young boys and girls who are the most vital stakeholders of democracy and governance. They are the fuel of the engine that will take us further. We today are four trillion economy. four trillion US dollar economy that is our Bharat at the moment. Our growth rate is 8% among the large economies. Our growth is the highest. We have emerged in last decade against headwinds, difficult terrain, and a legacy which could have been much better, from fragile five economies to world’s fifth largest global economy.
We are on way to becoming the third largest global economy, ahead of Japan and Germany very shortly in a year or so. And therefore from every consideration, our rise is phenomenal. Our economic upsurge is unrivalled in the world and our growth trajectory is envy of everyone. Young boys and girls, on a global horizon, our Bharat has emerged as a role model of digitization. Global institutions are accolading us, whether it be International Monetary Fund, World Bank, or World Economic Forum. I know the time when I got into parliament for the first time in 1989. Size of our economy around that point of time was around 1 billion US dollars. Boys and girls, now it is over 700 billion US dollars. We are on way to becoming from every angle a global power.
Let us look at the ground reality. What big change has taken place? You must have seen infrastructure being all around. Young boys and girls know it more than I do. But please take note of some facts. Eight new airports annually. This country, Bharat, is adding eight airports annually. If I give you an instance of Northeast, the number has gone from nine to 17. We add three to four new metros every two years. And when we come to highway construction, 28 kilometers daily. And when we come to railway track, 12 kilometers. It is this development, this vision which is being executed with passion, that Bharat is on the rise, the rise is of a nature which we could never contemplate earlier, beyond our dreams. Now what does it mean, how it has affected the common man? As a young boy, I had difficulty in getting scholarship, I didn’t have a big account. But imagine in last 10 years, there was a time period when 500 million were brought in banking inclusion. They never had bank accounts, now they have it. Gas connection was taken to be privilege of the rich. Now Every household has it. We are no longer focusing on electricity being made available to every household. The mission has gone to the next level, and that is every household must have solar mechanism to power its energy and contribute to the national grid. These are the gigantic efforts that have taken place. When we talk in terms of digital financial transactions, our country has 13 billion digital transactions, every month and this surpasses the combined figure of US, UK, France and Germany. Let me come to something more basic. Per capita internet consumption. Per capita. Our Bharat is more than that of US and China taken together. Digital technologies have initiated this. Affordable housing, health coverage. The situation that has emerged now is there is an ecosystem in place where every young boy and girl can unleash his or her energy, exploit his potential, realize ambitions and dreams, attain aspirations. It’s a big change for you because it was not easy to bring about this ecosystem. There was a privileged pedigree. There were privileged people! They thought they were entitled to the best. Merit was taking a second place. young boys and girls, patronage has yielded to merit, corruption has yielded to transparent accountable governance.
All this goes to your advantage. If we do not take care of half of our humanity, our sisters and mothers, the nation cannot be on a path of progress which we are visualizing and this has happened. Over the past few decades, we have 1.4 million women elected in Panchayati Raj Institutions. India, boys and girls, is the only country in the world that has structured democracy at all levels. To begin with, we had at the State level and at the Parliament level. But now we have structured democracy at the village level and at the municipal level. There was a time when corruption was a password. You know the password? In social media, you use it, you see. Your account is protected by password. So corruption protected opportunities. Corruption was available to only those who had the password. So corruption was an assurance to get a contract, get a job, avail an opportunity. Not any longer. You know, corruption is being dealt with very severely. The corrupt in the country are facing the heat of law. They thought they were always above law. Now they know. They are accountable to law. A long arm of law has reached the neck. They are to be addressed in accordance with law. They have no immunity from law. What do young boys and girls need? More than support, they need a level playing field. They are pained when they find someone less meritorious is being fast-tracked to occupy a position. because of patronage, corruption, favouritism, nepotism. It doesn’t obtain at the moment you know it. And therefore, there was a time when there was no hope. It was gloom.
India today is rated as a nation brimming with hope and possibility. International Monetary Fund has reflected that at a global benchmark, India is favorite destination of investment and opportunity. I know when I was a minister three and a half decades ago, the stance of these bodies was very different. There is 360 degree change. Now, My message to you, if International Monetary Fund says Bharat is a shining example of investment, a favourite destination of investment and opportunity, it is not for government jobs, it is for opportunities that are here.
And therefore, young boys and girls, look around, get out of silos. Government service is important, it is not one of the options.
Your employment basket, your opportunity basket is ever growing. What I experience, boys and girls, that our youth is not aware of it. I would request the Vice-Chancellor to have sessions, workshops, so that our young boys and girls come to know where opportunities are there.
Look around at the moment, whether it is sea, whether it is land, whether it is sky, whether it is space, India’s achievements are attracting global attention.
Blue economy, a challenge, but our youth can have opportunity there. Space economy, we can have. If you talk of the recent onslaught of disruptive technologies, what you call. Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, blockchain, machine learning of the kind, or even 6G, which is not only for a mobile phone. It’s a technology that has a huge commercial component. And now you have to think out of the box. And before thinking out of the box, think one thing. If you count 500 top people in this country, you will find more than 60% of them were in your age group only 5-10 years ago. They availed the opportunity, they are where they are.
There was a time when we could not find a single Indian soul in global corporates. That was a dream very distant, beyond our imagination. But today there is not a single corporate in the world that has a reputation and does not have at the top an Indian genius and Indian mind. And that mind age is GenZ, those born after 1990, and demographic youth that’s before me. And therefore unshackle yourself. Never fear failure. Do not become victim that there will be failures, so I should not try. Your mind is not meant to be a parking place for an idea. You have to experiment. You have to know it. Universities are crucibles. Traditional conventional education is important. But now after three decades, we have National Education Policy. As Governor of the state of West Bengal, I was associated with it. Kalraj ji Mishra was also associated. We were governors at the same time. Hundreds and thousands of inputs were taken. I consulted for guidance, Bhagwati Prasad ji. Inputs came from all quarters. We had a national education policy that allows our young minds to perform optimally, the way they like. Why pursue a degree for the sake of a degree? A degree has to be an asset to you. A skill has to be yours. You have to empower yourself. Learning is lifelong. Learning will define not only your character, but of the society and the country. And therefore, I would urge you, always think. You can be job creators. No harm in seeking a job. I’m not against it. But we must have an option on our radar. I want to be a job creator. I want to be an entrepreneur. Because in a country of 1.4 billion, the opportunities are manifold. Your mind has to learn right to focus on them. I’m sure you’ll bear this in mind. But the message which I have come here to give you is slightly different. Before that, let me preface it. This category of boys and girls are the greatest stakeholder in democracy. You are the greatest stakeholders in governance.
When India will attain centenary of its independence, you will be in driver’s seat. There is in the country a huge marathon race. That marathon race will culminate when India will become a developed nation at 2047. You are important stakeholders of that. You are members of that marathon March!
जो देश में बहूत्त बड़ा हवन हो रहा है, उस हवं में सबसे महत्वपूर्ण आहुति आपप लोगों की है। We may not be around. And when I say so, the system has thoroughly changed. Your facilities in every house. with every individual to be connected with the world, with the latest. There is nothing which you have. which you won’t. But there is nothing also which others in the world have and you don’t have. And therefore, last 10 years of governance has, for the youth in particular, equalized global opportunity level the highest for us. And therefore, when a nation is on the rise, like an individual. Challenges come from within and without. Some people find it indigestible that India is rising so fast. It is here I have come to tell you, you will always have to keep your nation first. you will have to subscribe to nationalism. No interest, personal, fiduciary, or otherwise can overtake national interest. Our national interest is supreme. Anyone who thinks, and there are some. harbouring inimical designs to tarnish our image, run down our progress. It is duty of every citizen to nurture nationalism, nurture democracy, sustain growth, ensure that Bharat attains in 2047 developed status. It is not easy boys and girls. It is good for us to think we are the 5th largest global economy at the moment. We will be third in two years.
But to be a developed nation, we have to have eightfold increase in our per capita income. And that will happen only when those engaged in agriculture. Those engaged in industry, business, commerce and trade function. I leave a thought with you. Think deeply after I have gone. How much in billions of US dollars we are draining our foreign exchange for avoidable imports? Clothes, curtains, kites, Diyas, furniture, what not? Why? We must be alive when we import something from outside. which is available in this country. We are depriving work from our own people. We are snatching work from their hands. And that everyone has to ensure, all of you. Secondly, some people, after acquiring some wealth, become arrogant.
Arrogance is not part of our society or civilization. You cannot use natural resources merely because you can afford. You have to use natural resources as a trustee, optimal. Already we have damaged the planet so severely that everyone is talking about climate change. Who has brought it about in togetherness we have done? But India has to show light to the entire world how to tackle climate change.
A call was given by the Prime Minister and that call was, Ek ped Maa ke naam. I call upon you. Please do it. Have that plant. Nurture it. And you will see all over the country a change coming. Because one plant, Ek ped Maa ke naam, is not end. It’s the beginning. It’s the beginning of a massive revolution. You must do it. Boys and girls, I know we are a rich civilisation, the world recognises it, the world knows it. Our Sanskrit is being taught all over the planet now. But I will not ask you a question, you have to think within yourself.
Have you had the occasion to physically see Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas? Have you had any occasion to go through Gita? Just imagine, the entire world is saluting us. We are a source of power and knowledge, wisdom. A wisdom that has been there with us for thousands of years. Our young boys and girls must,
I will conclude by one shloka from our scriptures. And it says, यश: नागरिको धर्म
नागरिको धर्म- It speaks of नागरिक का कर्तव्य, नागरिक का उत्तरदायित्व, नागरिक को क्या करना चाहिए, राष्टवाद केप्रति समर्पण होना चाहिए, विकास में योग देना चाहिए, भाईचारा को बढ़ाना चाहिए,
Second, स्वदेशी यम सदा। स्वदेशी हमारे स्वतंत्रता आंदोलन की रीढ़ की हड्डी थी।
स्वदेशी has surfaced in several ways, be vocal for local, One district, One product, but if you make it a habit, the results for the nation will be dramatic, you will be contributing to nationalism, you will be contributing to economy, समाजे समा भावश्च, सामाजिक समरसता, harmony, there are people who have disruptive tendencies, they are recipe for chaos, they are ignorant about our civilizational values, ours is the only civilization in the world that is inclusive, fair, equitable and does injustice to none, not to speak of injustice to human beings, we belong to a civilization that does not do any injustice even to living beings and we take plants as living beings. कुटुंबे प्रकर्तो तथा – कुटुंब का ध्यान देना। कुटुंब पे ध्यान देना चाहिए. मैं कुटुंब को बहुत बाद मानता हूँ। माता पिता का आदर करना, दादा दादी का आदर करना, नाना नानी का आदर करना, उनको समय देना, फिर आपको कितना सुख मिलेगा आप अंदाज़ा नहीं लगा सकते।
पता लगाना पड़ोस में कौन है, पता लगाना क्लास में मेरे साथ कौन कौन है, यह जीवन भरके साथी रहेंगे, your journey in life will be very smooth, harmonious, wholesome, and rewarding, once you generate this connect, यह हमारे संस्कृति का हिस्सा है, and environment, environment challenge is existential, mark my words, we do not have another earth to cohabit, this is the only planet, we have played havoc with it so far, let us in tandem and togetherness, repair the damage we have done, and I have no doubt, we are capable of it in this country, because we have to enlighten rest of the world.
Find out who is in the neighbourhood. Find out who is with me in the class. They will be with me for life. Your journey in life will be very smooth, harmonious, wholesome, and rewarding once you generate this connect. This is the part of our sanskriti and environment. Environment challenge is existential. Mark my words, we do not have another earth to cohabit. This is the only planet. We have played havoc with it so far.
Let us intend them and togetherness. Repair the damage we have done. And I have no doubt we are capable of it in this country. Because we have to enlighten the rest of the world. Already the world is looking at us. The voice of India in the world is resonant today as never before. It is a voice people look up to.
Indian Prime Minister’s might and contributing skills are looked up by global leaders for resolution of global conflagrations. From that perspective, boys and girls, there is an atmosphere, I said, of hope and possibility. You should be in an upbeat mood. You should look around. And I am sure the university management will do everything to see that you do not remain isolated, that you become part of a big change. And that you can do only when you come to know about it.
और अंत में यही कहूँगा कि मुझे यहाँ आकर बहुत प्रसन्नता हुई है, मैंने बहुत सोच कि मऊउझे क्या कहना चाहिए तो मैंने मेरी ज़िंदगी को देखा मुझे क्या चुनौतियाँ मिलीं, मुजहेकीटनी कठिनाई आई? स्कॉलरशिप न मिलती तो मैं कहीं का न रहता तो कोई मुझे कर्जा नहीं देता। बड़ी मुश्किल से दिए मुझे 6000 रुपये तो लाइब्रेरी नहीं खरीद सकता था। न बिजली थी, न पानी था न टॉइलेट था, न सड़क थी, न टेलीफोन था।
आज जब आपको देखता हूँ।
. I thought a lot. What should I say? I saw my life, what challenges I faced, how many difficulties I faced. If I hadn’t got the scholarship, I would have been a dead man. The bank does not lend me money. They gave me Rs. 6000 with great difficulty.
आज जब आपको देखता हूं, what is that which a young boy and girl has in any other part of the world which you don’t have? And additionally what you have and what they don’t have is, you belong to Bharat, a civilization 5000 years old they don’t have. You belong to Bharat that has scriptures, Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas which they don’t have. You belong to Bharat where we have Ramcharitmanas and Gita. You look into them, you’ll find answer to everything. They don’t have. जब ये हालात हैं Get going. You are young boys and girls with modern mind. There’s a company that has a tagline, “Do it.”
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