Text of the Vice-President’s address – 18th Convocation of Mizoram University in Aizawl, Mizoram

Hon’ble Governor Mizoram Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati, Hon’ble Chief Minister Mizoram Dr. Lalduhoma, Prof.  Dr. Prakash Bartunia, former Chancellor Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow. Guest of Honour, K. Vanlalvena Hon’ble Member of Rajya Sabha and other distinguished members present here.

My dear students, my greetings to you all! My Congratulations to you and your parents and friends!

Convocation is a unique milestone in your life. It is a moment to be cherished.

This is a turning point in your life and career. You will be becoming alumni of this prestigious University after getting degrees. You will carry fond memories of interacting with your friends, with your teachers and you will remember all your life that teacher who have been toughest in the class will ever be remember by you.

From the closure of this university where you have been looked after, Your academic brilliance has been shaped and you will be taking a leap into the larger world.

My young friends, boys and girls time was very different. When we, who are on dias or in the front row took the leap. The environment then was challenging it was not facilitating. You are lucky and fortunate.

You are lucky to be living in the Bharat that is on rise as never before. You are lucky to be living in India during Amrit Kaal which is our Gaurav kaal, When we will look at our rise in economics,in Infrastructures, on social gradient, we get proud of it.

Boys and girls what you want these days, You want first respect for law. No democracy can survive, no democracy can thrive, no democracy can blossom unless there is equality before law.

If some people think they are taller than other, they are privileged than others, they are not accountable to law, that is not democracy. The country suffered for far too long. There was a category of people who thought they were above the law. They were not within the reach of law, they thought they have immunity from law. And now equality before law is a ground reality. All are equal before law those who thought with great confidence that law cannot reach them are in the tight grip of law these days. That is the system you are facing now.

Second big change boys and girls, there was a time when there could be no recruitment, no contract without corruption. Corruption was passage to success. Corruption was lucratively practised by people. Our power corridors were infested with liaison and Agents, corrupt elements. These elements leverage in decision making extra legally at your cost because you boys and girls believe not in patronage not in Nepotism not in favouritism, you believe in merit. The big change that has come is our power corridors have been fully sanitised of corruption. Corruption no longer secures you contract and recruitment. Corruption secures you a secure place under government control and no where they are  tender accountable to law.  

The third big change, In our country into the larger domain there is an ecosystem in place where every young mind boys and girls can exploit your energy and talent, your potential to realise your dreams and aspirations. Government initiatives and policies are facilitating it. They are affirmative.

It was not during the time  got a big leap in the larger world.  I say with respect to the economy because I had the good fortune to be a Member of Parliament in 1989.  The Hon’ble Chief Minister was a member of Lok Sabha in 1984. He knows it. When I was there our lucky to be Minister also.  Our country’s gold in physical form was airlifted to be placed into two banks in Switzerland because we had to sustain our financial credibility. Our foreign exchange then was between 1-2 billion US Dollars and now our foreign exchange is more than 600 billion Dollars and we can have addition of 5 to 6 billion Dollar in a week, that explains you will be taking in the leap in the world our India where economy is very strong. Just a decade ago what was the scenario we were counted as a fragile five. 

Our country the most populous country, One sixth of the humanity was taken to be in fragile-five and we have traversed a tough challenging terrain in last one decade. We are already the world’s fifth largest economy that is where we are. We have over taken Canada, UK, France.

You have to make your career and therefore you can take Pride that already India is the third largest in terms of our purchasing power and look where they are going.In spite of global challenges, where large economies are not able to perform according to global institutions-World Bank, International Monetary Fund, we are a bright global hotspot of investment  and opportunities.

Our rise in GDP amongst large economies is the highest. People are flocking to this country because this is land of opportunities, this is land of making investment and you are the rich human resource in this country.

You have to come out of Silos, Silo of competitive examination, Silo for being pursuit for government job. I appeal to you look at the enormous areas you have where you can contribute your talent make yourself proud.

Let me tell you India has emerged as a Global leader in start-ups. Let me make particularly reference to your Chief Minister. As a young boy your Chief Minister became personal assistant to Chief Minister. As a teenager, he got experience. In difficult time he grabbed the opportunities. Then he got into the Indian Police Service. He was not there even for a decade but that decade was marked by his contribution in various areas. You therefore in the state are lucky to have a man who has faced weather, made most of it, created an Ecosystem, contributed to national level, well informed of governance, security and evolution of sports. He took a jump and took politics, got into Parliament where I had the occasion to be there and now he is here.

Therefore apart from the ecosystem outside you have healthy ecosystem within the state to engage in start-ups. This is one state that offers challenges and opportunities. Tourism! I was by the Hon’ble governor, I inquired from the Hon’ble governor. Sir does this state have a hill station and the Hon’ble Governor said that entire state is a hill station. Where can we have such a system. You have enough to contribute in terms of tourism. Look at our Global image. We had a very successful G20 under our Presidentship. The entire world has appreciated it but what is more significant is that G20 was not confined in New Delhi but all over the country and all the state of the countries including Mizoram all union territories there were important meetings. With respect to tourism it was in Mizoram and big ticket investments were made.

If you look at the kind of Investments that has been made by the central government in last decade to improve infrastructure in the North East you will be amazed. We have a kind of linkage of Rail,Road and digital connectivity Even this day the Hon’ble Prime Minister has inaugurated something very significant with respect to rail connectivity of this part.

Now it is for you to scratch your brains, boys and girls. Think big, make Mizoram as a tourism hub.  You can contribute to it, you can contribute to it massively because the state has enough to offer. We have focus elsewhere in the country but when I look at Mizoram and North-East, things are very different. Boys and girls, this part of the country is a very precious part.

This part of the country has to propel our tourism, our culture, our ecosystem. In 1990s we developed at the government level at the centre look a policy that continued for quite sometime. It give some results but not enough.

Hon’ble Prime Minister took great initiative and converted that policy with cutting edge to ‘Look East Act East’ and that has transferred the area economically and otherwise. It’s a big change and when this part of the country for which there is a separate department in the central government, We are really getting into exponential growth of this area. You can’t have better fresh air. You can’t have pollution free environment to spend your energy.

I would therefore urge particularly boys and girls of this state, this is your time, Unlock your time. Don’t permit a brilliant Idea just to be parked in your mind. Execute it. Don’t fear failure, Failure is natural. The moment you fear failure you give fear the upper hand, don’t give fear the upper hand. Put fear in tight grip because there is no human being on planet who has not failed. Just imagine! Failure is a step in success.

Let me remind you in September 2019 when I was Governor state of West Bengal. Chandrayan-2 was to land on moon around 2:00 a.m. I was in the company at Science City Kolkata with our 500 boys and girls of your age. Chandrayaan 2 came very close to Lunar sarface but it did not made soft landing. It was a heartbreak. There was complete silence in the room. Then immediately came the reaction of the Prime Minister we have succeeded, the complete success will be the next time and that complete success boys and girls did come. It came on 23rd August 2023.

Our Chandrayaan-3 became the first to land on the south pole of moon. We created history on that part of moon we have painted history. I mean to indicate to you Failure is not a failure, failure must be taken as motivational inspirational to go to your core and objective and you shall make it.

Boys and girls, you have to think differently now. From any part of the country on account of digital revolution, you can contribute, you have no limitations. Let me invite your attention to some of the new technologies with which we will have to live – Disruptive technologies, artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain.

Our country is in the lead, our currently is among many few nations that have contributed to this particular field. We have quantum computing mission, green hydrogen mission. These are the areas that are made for you, these are the areas that need to inspire you. These are the areas that you can make contribution, these Are the areas you can get out of the silos of competitive barrel.

Friends When I was giving degrees and gold medals, I saw the big change coming. I should have change which I saw on republic day. Our 75^th Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path on 26^th January 2024, what was in full play, our woman power. In every walk of life, here also I see, they were in majority or close to majority. Our power will be defined because now they will get ample opportunities to be involved in governance with policymaking. When a our country is so ordered, when a country is so upbeat, when the country is offering opportunities that are being availed by people from outside, nothing should stop you.

Friends, I may not be around, most on the stage will not be around when we celebrate centenary of independence in 2047 but in Amrit Kaal we have started a marathon race for Bharat@2047. You are the most significant stakeholders in governance, your demographic dividend is India’s potential, the world recognises it. You will take Bharat by being participants of this marathon march to Bharat at 2047 and make Bharat a viksit nation in the comity of nations. The future lies in your face. Our success lies in your hands. I will tell conclude by indicating to you, you only have to unlock it.

You have to unlock your energies, you have to exploit your potential and I have no doubt, success is yours and that success will be highly impactful for the state, for the nation and for the world. I will leave a thought with you, you have got degrees today, You are one of the factors, contributing factors are your parents your friends, your teachers. Always regard your parents with utmost respect, always believe in your teachers, nurture the friendships you have picked up here. You will always remember my words they will resonate in your ears, the friendship which you picked here if you nurture it all your life, this friendship will be a great source of sustenance, encouraging you. Lastly, boys and girls! We are proud Indians, We are proud of our exponential, phenomenal rise. We believe in our nationalism, our nationalism is our ultimate Dharma. We should not do anything, We should not allow anyone to do to the contrary which does not make our nationalism blossom and flourish.

Thank you so much! Be happy! God Bless you all!

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MS/JK/RC