Narendra Modi Speech - I-Inspire Foundation
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Transcript of Narendra Modi Speech - I-Inspire Foundation
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10 must-reads from convocation speeches by
Shri Narendra Modi
Compiled by
Roshni Agarwal Bawari
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Introduction
1. The history of convocation
2. The Students’ Life
3. The role of institutions & universities
4. The case of Eklavya – the perfect disciple!
5. Learning – a lifelong process, the DNA of life!
6. Fearlessness and Decisiveness – the strengths of youth!
7. The power of Youth
8. Innovations – to solve the crises of the World!
9. India – the youthful country
10. The development of education in Gujarat
Contents
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Introduction
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Shri Narendra Modi has been a profound supporter of education and has taken education in Gujarat to new heights. However busy he may be, he makes sure
he takes time out from his busy schedule to inspire youth with his thoughts whenever he is invited to a convocation ceremony; as for Shri Narendra Modi, a convocation ceremony is an initiation ceremony of a student in a new world of challenges, decision-making and reality!
‘10 must-reads from convocation speeches by Shri Narendra Modi’ is an e-book with a compilation of excerpts from his most inspiring speeches delivered at convocation ceremonies of various universities and institutions in Gujarat. In his speeches, he has spoken on various issues such as history of convocation ceremony as mentioned in Taittiriya Upanishad, his belief in the power of youth, Gujarat’s initiatives to empower youth with holistic education, and much more.
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(Speech Reference: List of Shri Narendra Modi’s speeches at various convocation ceremonies )
• 1st Convocation Ceremony of Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (May 28, 2009)
• 42ndAnnualConvocationCeremonyofVeerNarmadSouth Gujarat University (Feb 26, 2011)
• 46thconvocationCeremonyoftheIndianInstituteofManagement-Ahmedabad(IIMA)(March27,2011)
• 2ndConvocationCeremony of PanditDeendayalPetroleumUniversity(Sept27,2011)
• 3rdConvocationCeremonyofGujaratNationalLawUniversity ( Jan 21, 2012)
• 34thConvocationCeremonyofVeerNarmadVarsity(Feb 26, 2012)
• 43rdAnnualConvocationCeremonyofVeerNarmadSouth Gujarat University (Feb 27, 2012)
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The history of convocation
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In our culture Diksha is accorded even greater importance than Shiksha (education). Our education is deemed incompletewithoutthisinitiationceremony.Thefirst
mention of Diksha dates back to the Taittiriya Upanishad. In our traditional Gurukul system, the educators took lot of tests and examinations even after the formal education process was completed. As part of their day to day activities, they were made to take instant decisions, perform according to the knowledge imparted to them while the students remained unaware that they were being tested and evaluated. The studentas were observed very minutely and it was only when the educator was convinced that the student had passed the tests that they were conferred the degree and allowed to venture into other stages of life. The student years are the best times in anybody’s life. Once we receive our degree, there is a sense of happiness but at the same time there come
lots of responsibilities.
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There’s a brilliant address in the Taittiriya Upanishad, in
which the Guru delivers the convocation speech to students
who were leaving the Gurukul and entering the outside world,
a world full of struggle and challenges. The students of the
Gurukul were given key ideas on how they should live their
lives dedicated to their culture consistent with what has been
taught to them as the goal and way of life. In the convocation
address the Guru emphasizes on the following qualities.
1. The practice of what is right and proper as indicated in the scriptures (ritam);
2. Living up to the ideals that have been intellectually comprehended during the studies (satyam);
3. Aspiritofself-sacrificeandself-denial(tapas);
4. Control of the senses (dama);
5. Tranquility of the mind (sama);
6. Maintenance of a charitable and ready kitchen at home in the service of all deserving hungry fellow beings (agni);
7. Practice of concentration and ritualism throughfireworship as was in vogue in the society during those days; and
8. Doing one’s duty towards humanity, towards one’s
children and grandchildren and towards the society.
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Continuing the ‘Convocation Address’, the teacher says:
having taught the Vedas, the preceptor enjoins the pupil:
“Speak the truth, do your duty, never swerve from the study
of the Vedas; do not cut off the line of descendants in your
family. Never deviate from the truth, never fail in your
duty, never overlook your own welfare, never neglect your
prosperity and study”.
Watch: Shri Narendra Modi at 34th Convocation of Veer
Narmad Varsity -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5FRaRIod-M&feature=player_embedded
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The Students’ Life
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Friends, the student years are the best stage in
anybody’s life. There is someone or the other who
holdsourfingers,helpsusnavigatethepathahead;
if we miss the path there is always someone to guide us.
When the going gets tough there is always someone who
givesusassurances that thingswillbefineagain.This is
a stage when we get help from someone or the other, be it
our teachers or faculty members and we are in a protected
environment. But it is after getting the degree that the real
trials and tribulations of life start. There aren’t many people
to guide us and we have to choose our own paths. It’s not
difficulttosetourtargetsbutitisdifficulttogetthroughthe
way to them.
Today the mantra for success is how best you can utilize
your wisdom gained through the continuous process of
learning. Only two things can lead one to achieve real success
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in life and that is by inculcating human values and learning to live in amity with others. Education after all cannot be an end to itself; it is a means and a student must apply his knowledge for betterment of self, community and the country.Tobeabletodothisthestudentshouldfirstlearnthe importance of humility.
It would be incomplete if I fail to say something about what life means outside the portals of colleges and universities. There is a vast difference between learning from books in a protected environment of our universities and experiencing the real world outside. For those who are now at the threshold of a new dawn, this day when you will venture out into a world full of challenges is an important and exciting one. Facing a tough life outside needs both a vision and purpose in life.
It is not my intention to scare you when I say the world outside is a ‘big, bad, world’. The world is only as big or asbadasyoumakeitouttobe.Yes,therearedifficultiesbut none that you won’t be able to surmount; yes, there are obstacles but none that you cannot overcome.
The greatest quality that a person can possess is the quality of self-belief. If you believe you can, you can. If you believe you won’t, you most certainly won’t. Belief is the ignition switch that gets you off the launching pad, for defeat is not the worst of failures, not to have tried is the true failure.
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The memories of student life are a treasure forever. These
memories come of great use when your children are enrolled
in some university or the other. You can advice them as per
your experiences so that the children hear things their parents
did while they were getting university education. And it is
necessary that you take important values of life with you.
Take such memories with you that will give strength, new
pace and opportunity to scale new heights.
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The role of Institutions & Universities
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What is the aim of university education? A good education should help students pose the question “what is it to be human?” in relation
to his or her highest aspirations as opposed to the common needs and become aware that the answer is neither obvious nor simple. Each one of you should be able to ask the question “what should life mean to me?” Life has no proper meaning. You have to create a meaning for your life. It’s your responsibility; you should work towards make your life meaningful! Swami Vivekananda said “Arise, Awake and stop not till the goal is reached”, and that is the only way to live a meaningful life.
Friends, only one university can’t decide the future of a person. One university can’t claim for the change in the future ofapersonbuttheeffortsofoneuniversitycandefinitelyprepare the youth who are capable of changing the future.
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Friends, every institution has its own strength, its own identity. Today we might have gathered here to give life a new turn but this will always be a part of our life and therefore whatever we will achieve, it will be prestigious for the institution too.
Whatever you have got from your institute, whatever you are taking with yourself; you will put it into action wherever you willbeworking.Youwillfulfillthetechnicaljobassignedto you. This is not the only thing this institution has given you. When you will enter that new environment the whole institution will observe the way you behave and perform.
Let me share the ringing words of the great American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson who brought out the true meaning of education:
”We are shut up in schools and college recitation rooms fortenorfifteenyears,andcomeoutatlastwithabellyfulof words and do not know a thing. The things taught in schools and colleges are not an education, but the means of education.”
Friends, we don’t want to make robots in universities; we want to create humans. We can’t shape a world with the help of robots made out of technical know-how. We can’t be useful to humankind if there are no sentiments in life, no matter how good we are at technology and knowledge.
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The case of Eklavya – The perfect disciple!
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Sometime I think who was the greatest student and I am reminded of Eklavya. Eklavya who was born to a poor family became a master archer surpassing even
the Great Arjuna because of his will, effort, determination and perseverance. There was nobody to teach Eklavya. He visualized his teacher, made his statue and started learning himself. The story is very well known till here but what is a tradition for a student afterwards. What should be his gesture towards those imparting knowledge to him.
Iwouldliketoshareanincidenthere.Once,afilmshootingwas going on where Shri Mithun Chakraborty was playing the hero. It was nearby Patna in Bihar and it continued for around a week. Shri Mithun Chakraborty was playing a tribal in the movie. The tribal people from the nearby areas used to gather daily to watch the shooting. The shooting went on for almost a week and people used to enjoy it very peacefully.
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In one of the shots, the hero had to use bow and arrow. As soon as this scene started to be shot, the tribal people sitting there got angry and crossed their borders to run to the hero. They snatched the bow and arrow from Mithun Chakraborty. Everybody got scared despite police arrangements. Everybody was wondering what happened; why they got angry. The tribals told him he was insulting their forefathers. Everybody got surprised including the script writer. They told himeverythingelsewasfinebutbyusinghisthumbwhileusing the bow and arrow he was insulting their forefathers as their forefather was Eklavya and he had given his thumb as his ‘Guru Dakshina’. They told since then they don’t use their thumb while using the bow and arrow. By this incident you can think how the ideologies get transferred.
Even after thousands of years they have retained this ideology and respect for Eklavya, their forefather. They have learnt it that way to continue their tradition. Friends, this is the ideal example of how the gesture of a student towards teachers should be.
Watch: Shri Narendra Modi addressing the 3rd convocation of Gujarat National Law University - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EicaIJp7hLI&feature=player_embedded
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Learning – a lifelong process, the DNA of life!
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There is this story about a university professor who went to visit a famous Zen master to learn Zen meditation. While the master quietly served tea,
the professor kept talking about how learned he was and how he was the best disciple the master could ever get. The master said nothing, but simply kept pouring tea into the visitor’scup.Thecupgotfilledrightuptothebrim,andyetthe master simply continued pouring. The professor watched theoverflowingcupuntilhecouldnolongerrestrainhimself.“It’soverflowing!Nomorewillgoin!”theprofessorblurted.The master stopped pouring, looked calmly at the professor, and said, “You are like this cup.” You must be open to ideas all the time. Don’t even for a moment think that you have learnt all that there is to learn.
Each breath you take ushers in a new present, and each subsequent breath will be a moment in the future. Revel in the freshness of the present without resting on the laurels
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of the past, and you shall realize that the world opens up new experiences for you with every passing second. You might obviously be thinking about what there is to learn after having gone through so many years of academic rigor. However, when one faces the real world, one realizes that it’s not any particular knowledge that one needs; rather it’s just the ability to know how to learn, simply because we’re not going to know what’s going to be needed in the future. One needs to be constantly able to learn and adapt to new environments and new knowledge.
Don’t think that you cease to be a student once you leave a campus because if you think so it means you have lost life. Friends, we should remain students for lifetime. You should be ready and yearn to learn from every moment of life. The basic elements of life need to be associated with learning. The learning process should be a part of your DNA. Being a student for life should be part of your DNA and only then there are chances of progress in life. Friends this year is 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. When we are celebrating this 150th birth anniversary, Gujarat Government has decided to celebrate it as the ‘Year of Youth Power.’ This will not be restricted to just essay competitions or debates; we are focusing on a wider scope of increasing skill and ability. Friends, in life skills are as important as education. Many a times if skill doesn’t develop, the education remains useless and gets wasted.
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Fearlessness and Decisiveness – the strengths of youth!
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Success rarely comes to someone who is not sure
of himself. We need to develop a vision that is
promising to unravel our full potential. Admitting
defeatmeansyoulosethewilltosurmountdifficulties.‘Fall
seven times, stand up eight times’, goes an old Japanese
saying.Recall howSirEdmundHillary, thefirstman to
climb Mount Everest, refused to admit defeat when he failed
thefirsttime.OnMay29,1953hescaledsuccessfullythe
highest mountain then known to man though he had failed
in 1952. Soon after his disappointing effort in 1952 a group
in England called him to address its members and as Hillary
walked to the stage amid thunderous applause the audience
clearly saw a man who had attempted the impossible. But
Edmund Hillary saw himself as a failure. He moved away
from the microphone and walked to the edge of the platform
andmakingafisthepointedatapictureofthemountainand
saidinaloudvoice,“MountEverest,youbeatmethefirst
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time, but I’ll beat you the next time because you’ve grown all
you are going to grow… but I’m still growing!” That is the
spirit we need to adopt if we want to move ahead in life. Our
desire for success should be greater than our fear of failure.
It is worth remembering what the famous American writer
Dale Carnegie once said, “Don’t be afraid to give your best
to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer
one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs
well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.”
You all must have read or heard about Harry Potter, who is
now weaving his magic even in Hollywood. However, not
manypeopleknowhowdifficultitwasforthemagictobegin.
J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books, is among the
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richest women in this planet. However, when Rowling wrote
thefirstHarryPotterbookin1995, itwasrejectedby12
different publishers. Even Bloomsbury, the small publishing
housethatfinallypurchasedRowling’smanuscript,toldthe
author to “get a day job.” At the time when Rowling was
writing the original Harry Potter book, her life was a self-
described mess. She was going through a divorce and living
inatinyflatwithherdaughter.Rowlingwassurvivingon
government subsidies, and her mother had just passed away
from multiple sclerosis. At such a bleak juncture in her
life, what do you think carried her through? The answer is
simple: a tiny little voice that arises from within and says,
yes you can. J.K. Rowling followed that voice and turned
these negatives into a positive by devoting most of her free
time to the Harry Potter series. She in fact also drew from
her bad personal experiences when writing. The result is now
a brand name currently worth nearly $15 billion, but more
importantly, a name which shall be remembered as having
gotten children across the world back to reading books and
discovering the attics of their imagination.
Friends, in a society indecisive people neither get anything
norgiveanything.Onlythosewhocantakefirmdecisionscan
reach their desired targets. The valuable time of indecisive
people gets wasted. You might have seen such people living
in frustration; even if there are lots of options available in
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a situation, because of their nature they just can’t decide
which one to go for and opportunities run out of their hands.
Ultimately they have to settle for whatever is left. They just
can’t decide. This happens very often. Many people even
in the situation of critical illness can’t decide about their
treatment. They waste time thinking which doctor to go for
and situation worsens so much that even the doctors can’t
cure it. Reason? Indecisiveness. Friends, there should be no
connection between youth and Indecisiveness. If you are
young you have to be decisive and if you are not decisive
that means you are not young. If you feel ‘I’m very scared;
I may fall if I’ll move’ that means you have lost a youth in
yourself. Therefore coming out of indecisiveness and being
decisive is the pre condition for being called young. Those
who are decisive are courageous too.
It is rightly said that those who fear competition are doomed
to lead a mediocre life. In the emerging globally competitive
era it is the intangible knowledge capital which counts the
most. Today the world has shrunk, thanks to knowledge
revolution. It is no more correct to refer to a country as
“distant country.” Thanks to the technological revolution,
the world has shrunk into being a global village. Therefore
whatever education a university or institutes of higher
education imparts, it must achieve the global level of bench
marking given the vastness and diversity of global village
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we live in today. And towards these end friends, Gujarat has
spared no effort in charting a course that pursues a path of
integration in the global village setup.
What are the determinants of success? First, explore what
success means to you. Then you should take control of your
life by developing self-motivation, self-confidence, and
greater sense of personal control. Develop a personal mission
for you, set goals in major areas of your life, understand your
values; then align your mission, goals and these values.
Develop courage and persistence by overcoming self imposed
limitations such as fear. Develop resilience. If you have clear
sense of purpose and goals then you will be better focused
and will be able to concentrate, and the more responsibility
youarecapableoftakingthemoreselfesteem,confidence
and personal pride will grow. And if you dream and pray in
the process, you would succeed.
Let us dream and pray with the great poet Rabindranath
Tagore when he says:
“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high,
Where knowledge is free,
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by
narrow domestic walls,
Where words come out from the depth of truth,
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Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards
perfection,
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into
the dreary desert sand of dead habit,
Where the mind is led forward by thee into that heaven of
freedom,
My Father, let my country wake”.
Read: The complete text ofShri Narendra Modi’s
speech at the 42nd Annual Convocation of Veer
Narmad South Gujarat Univers i ty, Surat - http://www.narendramodi.in/speech-at-the-42nd-annual-convocation-of-veer-narmad-south-gujarat-university/
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The power of Youth
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I have great faith in the power of youth. Youth have the potential, honesty and courage to bring about a radical change. After 30, old age starts and perhaps that is why
hippies say “don’t trust a man beyond thirty”. Scientists say that all the cells in the human body are replaced totally once insevenyears.Theyhavealsoidentifiedthemajorchangeswhich take place in human life depending upon the seven-year cycle of change in the human body. One of the most interesting observations is that the age between 21 to 28 is the phase of rebellion, creative thinking and new ventures. Then in the next phase of 28 to 35, man becomes family oriented and starts believing in what John Kenneth Galbraith called conventional wisdom. In the following phases of cyclical change man becomes more and more ritualistic, and starts resisting any change and becomes more and more interested in security rather than going out for new ventures. In short it is the strength in youth, which can bring about
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a paradigm shift. So you cannot only dream big things, but also have the potential in you to transform your dreams into reality.
Gujarat has undertaken the leadership for the 2nd green revolutioninIndia.Wehavereachedthefirstspotamongthestates of India. We progressed in the business and industrial sector, we progressed in the agriculture sector and we are also progressing in the service sector. There is one more dream and that is to get importance of Gujarat in the academic world too. In the whole intellectual world the youth power ofmyGujarat give contributions in thefield of researchand innovations, give new ideologies and directions in 21st century and give inventions; these are our dreams. The youth in India has got the capability. Gujarat is a productive land. I call out to every youth in India to come to Gujarat and perform at their best.
Friends, Ifind twoqualities in theyouthpower.Ayouthis capable of bringing things together and changing the direction too. They can come together and bring changes. There is no need of breaking anything, but need is to bring changes.Changethedirectionofaflowandmoveitinarightdirection; this is what a youth should be capable of. And the
youth which has this power can change the coming era.
Friends, only those people succeed in the world that changed
their directions. Only those who don’t follow the traditions
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blindly and carve their own path can bring changes in the
lives and the world. Friends, come, let’s too call out loud and
bringchanges,findnewpaths,makepeoplewalkonthenew
path we have found. Let’s try to bring changes. Let’s move
further together with the dreams of bringing changes. Let’s
makeour livesmorecompleteand fulfillwhat theworld
expects from us.
Watch: Shri Narendra Modi calling on youth to innovate
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ckMK1LTpzA
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Innovations – to solve the crises of the World!
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There is a huge difference in the yardstick of growth of humankind today and the yardstick of growth of humankind in the past. It was an era of different
thinking when the growth of humankind was evaluated on the criteria of how controlled the life was with the minimum usage of natural resources. At that time the exploitation of nature was considered as a crime. Today the times have changed, and all criteria have changed. Today your growth is evaluated on the basis of consumption of it; the more you consume the better your growth.
There are so many nations of the world whose only agenda of meetings is how to handle the energy crisis. On one hand the whole world is experiencing this crisis and on other hand the consumption of resources is kept as the yardstick of growth; in this situation the biggest challenge for the youth is to choose the way out of the thinking of humankind and
the current situation of resources.
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Ononehand there isfinancialcrisiswhileonotherhand
thereisenergycrisis.Aslongasfinancialcrisisisconcerned
the problem can be solved over a period of few years with
the help of changing situations. But if we want to save
humankind from energy crisis, it is necessary for us to rethink
seriously about energy sector with a holistic approach.
Once I wrote a letter to our Prime Minister and requested
him that as there are different organizations of countries of
the world, e.g. SAARC summit, India should take initiative
and create an organization of countries that are rich in solar
power, thecountrieswhichgetmostbenefitsof the solar
power. These countries should come together, create a corpus
fund, open up new dimensions of research and develop easy
andaffordablemethodstogivebenefitsofsolarenergyto
the humankind. I believe that the day is not far when India
will be leading such organization of countries rich in solar
power. The petroleum university of Gujarat will also put its
valuable contribution in the solar energy sector and we will
follow the path of change in the world.
Thewholeworld should think collectively andfindnew
direction and strategy to save the humankind from a
forthcoming crisis. When these problems are to be solved
it can’t be done only with energy resources. To solve these
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problems we will need the human chain to utilize these resources, we will need capable youth power to manage these energy resources. Therefore just the way energy sources are important to decide about the crisis; the human resource related to solving the problem is equally important. Gujarat has thought about and understood these long term requirements.
There are young people who have got talent and innovative ideas but don’t have resources. To change the fate of such youth we have started the institution ‘I-create’. If you have got talent, come; this Government will give you opportunity and resources. You do your experiments and give this world an innovative idea. I invite all the young people to ‘I-create’ andfulfilltheirdreams.Wewillhavetosolvethecrisisintheworld! And for that there is need of innovations & capacity to take risks. Gandhiji is the greatest example of it. Such was thecapabilityofthatgreatsoulthatwithafistfulofsaltheshook the whole empire. This is the power of the waters of Sabarmati and you also have had it. Something new has to be given to the world. And when a youth puts his efforts and time in an innovation the world certainly gets something.
Friends, how farsighted were our deep-thinking forefathers?
In our mythology there is a mention of ‘Surya Rath’ which is
towed by seven horses. We have heard about it and have seen
the pictures too. Gujarat is the only state of India where on
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the banks of river Tapi the whole energy sector works with
such horses. Nuclear energy is one horse, gas based energy
is another horse, lignite based energy is third horse, hydro
is 4th, thermal 5th, solar is 6th, and wind 7th. All the types
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of horses are running at the same place and it is an example
to the world!
Watch: Shri Narendra Modi talking about solving world
crises at 1st Convocation of the PDPU University -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4J2v08uA8E
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India – the youthful country
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We are lucky that we are the people of India
that is the country with highest population
of youth. We are rich in youth power. At the
time when the developed countries of the world are moving
ahead with higher population of older people we have an
opportunity to conquer the world with our youth power.
If the 21st century is the century of Asia and we want to make
it the century of India then the valuable treasure of our youth
power will have to be turned into a global workforce. The
future of India will also depend on it. Friends, if we take a
look at the current situation; it is unfortunate for our country
that the average of people getting higher education is only 11
% while in the developed countries it is 55% and in Asia it
is 22%. This means that 89% of our people of the age group
of 18-23 are such who didn’t get the opportunity of higher
education. If we want to be seen on the World map of 21st
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century then it is our prime responsibility to see that we take
our people of the age group of 18-23 at the new heights of
education. How to give a new direction to our education
systemandhowtofulfilltherequirementsofit?Indiawill
notgetbenefitonlybyplanningitsfutureeducationpolicies
simply on the basis of skill education. If we will put more
stress on the knowledge based society only then will we be
abletofulfilltherequirementoftheworldbycontributing
to the human resource development.
The focus on higher education in particular and education
in general is essential because in knowledge based 21st
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century, Gujarat can contribute only if it makes relevant
research and innovations in education and these research
and innovations should be totally relevant and compatible
to international standards and quality. For this purpose, our
government has taken important steps and policy decisions.
As research is considered vital & essential part of quality and
value education, several programmes have been incorporated
to encourage students and teachers for research orientation
work. For providing a platform to all knowledge based
institutions we have established Knowledge Consortium of
Gujarat(KCG) which has initiated the process to develop
repository for the research scholars across the nation as well
as developing network between research scholars, guides
across the state. With a view to develop capabilities of
teachers in communication technology and related subjects,
KCG, Department of Education has launched initiative
Knowledge Management Programme (KMP). Under this
initiative training for capabilities building is provided in the
area of English and Computer for enabling our teachers to
have access to knowledge resources. This initiative shall help
them to develop awareness and acquisition at International
level in their respective subject areas.
When I started all these some eight years back, people were
not aware about higher education. Friends, today the situation
is that more people are opting for higher education. The large
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number of deprived, the backward people, the tribal; all are
goingforeducation.Thereforeinthisbudgetasignificant
amount of 100 crore is assigned for building hostels for those
who are coming from far of area for education.
More than 65% of people in India are of the age of less
than 35 years. These young and bright will be the dreams
of a country which has so much of youth power. It was the
dream of Swami Vivekananda that with these young and
bright dreams, our motherland becomes the world leader.
And we are lucky that we are born in this era when our 65%
population is young and with the skill, capacity, knowledge
and education of the youthwe are capable to fulfill his
dream. Swami Vivekananda told he could see that one-day
India will be a world leader. Friends, 150 years have passed
andnowtheresponsibilityliesonourshoulderstofulfillhis
dream. As youth, let’s take an oath that we will make India
a world leader!
Watch: Shri Narendra Modi’s complete address at
the 46th convocation ceremony of IIM-Ahmedabad -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzC63YF7Fks
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Development of education in Gujarat
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1st century is the‘knowledge century’. It is said that this is India’s century. The statement is a fact as well as a challenge. This is a fact 2
because whenever in human history there has been a focus on knowledge, India has played its central role in it. Even today, India possesses a rich repository of knowledge in several spheres in the form of its knowledge texts and manuscripts. Moreover, it is a historical truth known to all of us that scholars from across the world visited India to seek knowledge from various Institutions and Universities spread across the country. It is also a historical truth that when one of the last historical universities of India, Nalanda was burnt in India, the world renowned Oxford and Cambridge were not even fully established. This is our rich heritage in higher education which also includes VallabhiVidyapeeth.
This is just a glance about the historical legacy and heritage.
But let us realize that it is our responsibility to carve the role
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and direction of Gujarat in this knowledge century of India.
I need not highlight achievements of Gujarat in Industrial
Progress, Investment and Infrastructural Development.
The Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit of 2011 is
a proof for this. The whole country has taken note of it.
After achieving thefirst place in industrial development,
investments in Gujarat, our government has shifted its focus
to education and health because they are centre of overall
development.
In 2001, when I was given responsibility of Gujarat there
were only 11 universities; today we have 41 universities.
There are more universities than the number of colleges
in the last decade and all the universities are world class
universities.
My government has taken several initiatives in the education
sector. The 5th Vibrant Summit saw a commitment of $ 450
billion of investments with 7,936 MoUs signed amounting
to Rs 20.83 lakh crore. Of these 84 MOUs were signed in
different categories among higher education in the State and
their international counterparts that included United States
of America, Canada, South America, Australia, United
Kingdom and South Asian countries. Investment was just
oneaspectofit.Themainaimwastofindoutthestepsto
be taken to create the knowledge based society. 33 leading
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universities of the world came here. The universities of Gujarat, the industrial houses which are future investors in Gujarat organized a round table conference. They moved ahead in the direction of some planning. With the help of this planningandbyutilizingouryouthpowerhowtofulfilltheneeds of the world, this is what we are trying to do.
I am sure that renewed focus on higher education as part of our vision to transform Gujarat into a knowledge hub will bear fruit in near future with the active participation of all stake holders. The academic collaborations would bemutually beneficial to the State and to internationalinstitutionsaswell.Newfieldofknowledgehasbeencastopen for youth and women; and new universities/centres of advanced learning or excellence are going to be set up in collaboration with foreign universities.
Today India is emerging as a major economic power and Gujarat is placed well to take the country on a high growth trajectory. Gujarat already contributes a substantial part in India’s industrial production, capital formation and exports. In several products, it is in fact, a national leader and in certain others, a global player. Gujarat has thus emerged as the growth engine of India. However, the potential is still very large and Gujarat must exploit the same for its own
development and for growth of the country. For larger growth
weneededucatedandhighlyqualifiedtechnicalmanpower.
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That is why I put Gyan Shakti on the top of the Panchamrut
Yojana’s other four principles Urja Shakti, Jal Shakti, Jan
Shakti and Raksha Shakti.
There is need of such human resource which can play an
important role in the development of the humankind. For
thatwewillhavetotouchdifferentfieldsofeducation.We
have started a campaign. This Government has focused on
skill development and we all know it.
Weare the first in theworld to start a forensic science
university.Wearethefirstintheworldtothinkaboutthe
geologicaluniversity.WearethefirstinIndiatostartRaksha
Shakti University. In India Gujarat is leading in petroleum
and energy sector and for the development of the human
resource required in it we have started Pandit Deendayal
Upadhyay Petroleum University. By starting many new
universities we are trying to open up different centers in
Gujarat to give different options of education.
I don’t look at sports as something which merely tones up
the body. I look at it as a tool of education that stimulates
the mind and brings in a culture of discipline. Keeping this
in mind to develop physical, mental and creative abilities
of students “Khel Mahakumbh” was organized during the
Golden Jubilee Year of the state. “Chess Mahakumbh” too
served the same purpose. It was meant to develop students’
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capacity of concentration, analytical skills and anticipation that would help him or her to pursue studies in a pragmatic and healthy manner.
To rekindle the spirit of learning and reading we launched “Vanche Gujarat” in Swarnim year. All these initiatives will provide motivation and creation of new formation to our education and particularly to higher education in Gujarat. For effective implementation of various initiatives started by Government of Gujarat, Knowledge Consortium of Gujarat (KCG) has created one structure for the Mission Mode Implementation (MMI). In this structure, 5 colleges make one cluster and several such clusters make one academic district. Under MMI, district coordinators, students and university representatives were selected and given training to implement, organize and monitor various initiatives effectively in all districts, clusters and colleges.
It will not be out of place to mention that the state of Gujarat is witnessing an atmosphere charged with silent revolution in higher education for several years now. The implementation of Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) which is in progress allows a student of mathematics the freedom to study subjects like music or philosophy.
These initiatives are not designed to be mere government programmes. They need to be supported by larger public
participation across the state.
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