Every student sitting in this hall today must be having some vision of the future in their minds. Now, I’m no Baba Bageshwar who can read your mind, but I do know that all of you share the same enthusiasm today.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his address at IIT Delhi’s 57th convocation on Saturday with this light-hearted and humorous tone, the entire auditorium reverberated with applause and laughter. PM Modi not only explored the dreams of the youth but also established a cordial dialogue with the students on the changing global order and the vision of a developed India.
Connecting with the students, the Prime Minister spoke in a very engaging manner about the turmoil in their minds. He said that today, as you all graduate with your degrees, each one has a different destination. While some students are eagerly awaiting their first job and first salary, others are harboring innovative and revolutionary ideas about starting their own startups. Furthermore, many are busy strategizing for higher education, research, and competitive exam preparation. Reminding the students of their first day at IIT, PM Modi said, “It feels like just yesterday, and in a flash, you are now entering a new chapter in life.”
Referring to the global landscape, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that today the global order is rapidly changing, and technology is the biggest force driving this change. It is difficult to accurately predict what the world will look like in the next 20-30 years. Technology will change, the world’s mood will change, but in this ever-changing world, only those who continue to learn will achieve success.
During the event, while praising the talented students who received medals for their achievements, the Prime Minister highlighted a key point. He said, “My heartfelt congratulations to the students who received medals today for their achievements. However, as I was looking at the list, I felt that if the number of our daughters in this medal list were a little higher, I would have been even happier. Why just one or two medals? The flag of daughters should be raised even higher.”
In the final part of his address, PM Modi reminded the youth of their national responsibility. He said that the pre-independence generation had only one goal: to liberate the country, for which they endured lathicharge and made sacrifices. The responsibility of today’s generation is different. PM Modi said that today we are breathing in a free India, it is the result of the sacrifices of our ancestors. Now the next 30-35 years are in your hands. Whatever work you do, whatever decision you make, just think once about how your action will benefit the country and how much it will strengthen the dream of a ‘developed India’.