Text of the Vice-President’s address at 77th Foundation Day Celebrations of Hansraj College, University of Delhi
Text of the Vice-President’s address at 77th Foundation Day Celebrations of Hansraj College, University of Delhi
Every stakeholder, the Vice-Chancellor, the deans, the faculty, members of the staff, and anyone contributing has a role in that. So my greetings and congratulations to all of them.
वैसे यह कहा गया था वसूलों पर जहां आच आए तो टकराना जरुरी है सामने अगर महिला हो तो नहीं करना है। इस मामले में वैसे मैं खुद से अनुभव प्राप्त कर है। If there is a woman in front of you, you should not confront her. And if there is Dr. Sudesh, you should avoid him. And if there is Mamta ji, you should play safe.
It is said that every institution, you can judge it by three aspects. One, it’s alumni because the alumni reflect क्या संस्कार दिए जाते हैं कि ढांचे में उनका डाला गया है।
I am extremely happy and delighted, both as Chancellor and Vice President of the country, to be amongst you all. Two years ago, my very distinguished predecessor, Venkaiah Naidu ji was here. That was also a great occasion. I had the great occasion to garland the statue unveiled by him of Mahatma Hansraj ji.
When I did that, I felt a new sense of energy, motivation and inspiration. I come from Rajasthan, where Dayanandji’s thought process dominates a major part of the state and focus on education is so fundamental to human growth.
I have been saying quite often, out of experience, that education is the most impactful, transformative mechanism that brings about equality and contains and decimates inequities. It is education that leverages you to climb higher and higher so I am really very grateful to be here on this great day with Hans Raj’s family.
I am sure while getting education here, you will always reflect the traditions, the legacy of such institutions and महापुरुष जिन्होंने यह प्रयास करा जीस सोच के साथ यह प्रयास करा जीस चिंतन के साथ किया जिस मंथन के साथ किया जिस दूरदर्शिता के साथ किया मुझे लगता है उनका प्रयास सफल हो रहा है। But as reflected by Yogesh Ji, the Vice-Chancellor, learning never stops.
Real learning begins when your degree ends. Similarly, you have to nurture every institution. If you get into a river, you will find to be at the same place.
I recall at this occasion what a pre-socratic philosophers, Heraclitus said, a person never enters the same river twice because the person is not the same, the river is not the same. So the only constant in life is the change and you have to motivate yourself according to the change.
My young friends, you have not seen what I have seen, what some of them have seen. That was a time when we had a Bharat which hardly made some kind of impact globally.
In 1989, when I was elected to Parliament, Lok Sabha, and it was a good fortune to be a Union Minister, then the size of our economy of India that is one-sixth of humanity. The largest democracy was smaller than the size of economy of London and Paris, two cities separately. Now both UK and France are behind us, we are the fifth largest global economy. We are so rising that the entire world recognises our progress and they say with confidence, India is a land of opportunity and investment.
If we look further around to 1990, there was hope and despair differently situated. Hope was for micro-speak community, despair was in general. Now we have an atmosphere for all, hope and possibility, an ecosystem where everyone can exploit his talent, realise his potential and achieve his dreams and aspirations, big change.
We went then to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. We stayed at a hotel close to Dal lake, deathly silence, Article 370 has gone. Last year more than two crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir and we did not have the good fortune to see even 20 on the road then.
That was the time most painful for me when our gold in physical terms was lifted, put in a plane to be placed to two banks in Switzerland because our foreign exchange was fluctuating around one billion US dollars. Now it is in excess of 660 billion dollars and in a single week you can have addition per day of one billion US dollars. So we have come really a very, very long way.
Friends what I tell you will be surprised, every member of parliament of 9th Lok Sabha, I was one, had a great power because he could give 50 gas connection in a year to anyone he likes, 50 gas connection and 50 telephone connection and now just imagine 150 million gas connection given free by the government to the needy.
When I started my career as a lawyer in 1979, I needed 6,000 rupees for a library. The library was available for sale. I had no money and you know what happened? A bank manager could give me those 6,000 rupees without surety. That changed me and now 500 million people of this country have been brought into banking inclusion.
Could you ever imagine it? 100 million farmers getting direct payment in their banks thrice a year from the government. I am not on the amount. I am not on the government contribution. I am on the capacity of the farmer to receive it. Therefore, you young friends are in an age of hope and possibility.
The completion of 77 years, imparting quality education and nurturing great ideals and enriching young minds by thought process of Swami Dayanand Saraswati ji and Mahatma Hansraj ji. You are lucky. Gift of quality education changes not only the individual but the society at large. Mahatma Hansraj’s vision was deeply rooted in the principles of Arya Samaj.
Friends, I will address some issues that are agitating the minds of young people all over the country and that issue may exist is in any society. It is vital for any society that employment avenues are aplenty because immediately after getting a degree, we look for employment. In recent years, there has been commendable progress in this direction. New vistas and opportunities are unfolding for self-employment. That is key to growth and development. Now, young minds are not aware of that.
I urge all of you to look around the new vistas. Take for instance, disruptive technologies. Now, they have come to stay with us. We like it or not, they are in having’s home and office in Parliament. They offer challenges, also opportunities, but they have huge employment potential another new idea, let me tell you, green hydrogen mission.
India is one of the few countries focussing on it. It will have more than 6 lakh employment by 2030 and more than that, lakh investment. Focus on that. I went to ISRO. I was amazed. None of the scientists or management people were from IIM or IIT. They were from colleges like you and they made Chandrayaan-3 land on moon. और वहां पर हमने क्या कर कमल का काम कर शिव शक्ति पॉइंट एंड तिरंगा पॉइंट।
What a change has taken place. There was a time when India was counted as fragile 5 when it came to economies. Fragile five वह कहते हैं ना कि छोड़ दोगे तो बिखर जाऊंगा हमारी अर्थव्यवस्था को बड़ा कमजोर माना जाता था वर्ल्ड बैंक और आईएमएफ आते थे हमें राय देते थे और बताते थे आप ऐसे करो वैसे करो यह करो वह करो अब वक्त बदल गया है वर्ल्ड बैंक और आईएमएफ ने हमें क्या-क्या accolades दिए हैं,।
It has been indicated by the World Bank president that India has achieved in digitisation. In 6 years, what would otherwise take more than 4 decades. It is role model to the world and why not? When it comes to per capita internet consumption, I am talking of figures of 2023, our per capita internet consumption is more than that of U.S. and China taken together. We account for world’s more than 50% of direct digital transactions. And more than combined transactions of USA, UK, France, and Germany.
आने वाले 2 साल के अंदर हम किनको पीछे छोड़ेंगे जर्मनी और जापान कभी कल्पना नहीं किया सोचा नहीं सपना नहीं लिया। that kind of infrastructure is available in this country now. I am telling all this because you have a perfect ecosystem in place.
I am telling all this because you have a perfect ecosystem in place. You can leap to a very high altitude and therefore you must notice a few things when India is a hotspot to the entire world for opportunities, surely it is a hotspot for us. The world says, yes, let’s go and do business in India we are an integral part. The present governance in the country is affirmative. It facilitates youth of the country to be in high productive mode. Skill promotion and accreditation is a key governance policy. If you go through the latest budget, focus is on this aspect youth.
The youth and you are before me, the most important vital stakeholders in governance and democracy. You are the most vital stakeholders. You need to update yourself what positive, affirmative governance initiatives are there, policies are there on one hand to promote skilling and on the other hand to make finance available with each for getting into business. It was very thoughtful that the Mudra amount has been doubled to 20 lakhs for those who availed it was. What an engagement.
You don’t need a Secretary for it. Therefore, friends, de-silo the usual approach towards employment with government alone.
क्या नजर आता है सरकारी नौकरी के लिए लंबी लाइने कॉम्पिटेटिव एक्जाम के लिए भयंकर तैयारी है पता है सीटे कम है आईआईटी में आईआईएम में पर कोचिंग सेंटर लगातार यह काम कर रहे हैं।. Commercialisation of such coaching, commercialisation of education is a retarding factor for growth in any nation.
मैं आपसे अनुरोध करूंगा कि जो silos बन गए हैं उन silos से बाहर आए। De-silo the usual approach and you will find enormous opportunities. Never have tension, never have stress. Go as per your attitude, go as per your liking.
आपके मन में अगर कोई विचार आ गया तो उसे विचार को अपने मन में park मत करिए take risk, don’t fear failure.
चंद्रयान-3 की सफलता का मूल आधार है चंद्रयान-2 की पूरी सफलता से 4% कम होना। Chandrian-2 to was largely successful except the last part.
Friends, भारत में employability is continually, incrementally increasing. Skilled लोग कहां मिलते हैं किसी भी फील्ड में चले जाइए सरकार बहुत कम कर रही है We want more and more people to be skilled.
We must convert our demographic dividend to this advantage. आर्टिफिशियल इंटेलिजेंस में ले लीजिए You will find at a global level. हमारा टैलेंट कितना ज्यादा है कितना हमारा पेनिट्रेशन है।
I could never believe when I went to my village and the connectivity is as good as in Delhi, if not better.
आप अपने बुजुर्गों से पूछिए रेलवे की टिकट और प्लेटफॉर्म टिकट खरीदने के लिए लंबी लाइन लगती थी बिजली का बिल और पानी का बिल जमा करने के लिए आधे दिन की छुट्टी लेनी पड़ती थी।
पासपोर्ट अप्लाई करना हो तो बहुत ही himalayan venture था। आजकल आपने देखा है कुछ ऐसा? We Indians, ignoring the level of education, are so adaptive to change.
हर व्यक्ति देखिए टेक्नोलॉजी को grasp कर रहा है गांव में तो इतना grasp करते हैं कि कोई कहता है मुझे पासपोर्ट लेना है तो कहते है राम सिंह का बच्चा यह काम करता है वहां चले जाओ उसको गांव के बाहर नहीं जाना पड़ता। बिजली का बिल जमा कराना टेलीफोन का बिल जमा कराना पानी का बिल जमा करना आधार कार्ड लेना कुछ भी सर्विस डिलीवरी का मामला हो।
Access to quality education has got a new qualitative dimension. The principal had made reference to it. New education policy.
34 साल के बाद देश में पहली बार और लाखों की तादाद में स्टेकहोल्डर का ओपिनियन लेकर। I was governor of the state of West Bengal then. इतना बड़ा परिवर्तन आया है degree से हट गया है। Education has now become spinally strong.
आपकी इच्छा एक साथ दो डिग्री लेने की है। No problem in that. I only wish this change continues very high. We have one of the leading industries of the country here. He’s working in several sectors. It must be very soothing to his ears.
IMF ने इंडिया के लिए क्या forcast किया है GDP growth to be 6.8% for fiscal year 2024-25 and 6.5% for 2025-26. दुनिया की और देश में देखिए और उनकी एवरेज देखिए आधी नहीं है इससे। इसीलिए मैं कह रहा हूं।
Education is cornerstone for empowering our youth. स्वामी विवेकानंद जी ने कहा था “Education is the manifestation of perfection already in man”.
भारतीयों और भारतीय संस्कृति की खास बात है wisdom, knowledge हमारे हवा में है। कौन सा देश कह सकता है कि 5000 साल का इतिहास है कौन सा कह सकता है वेद और उपनिषद क्या है नहीं कह सकता।
We are unique in several ways, इतिहास के छात्रों को पता लगेगा कि भारत ने कभी भी आक्रमण का सीमा नहीं बढ़ाई है हम इस देश के नागरिक हैं मेरा यह कहना है।
to my young friends, boys and girls, it is essential to nurture critical thinking, problem-solving and entrepreneurial skills among our young minds, equipping them with ability to navigate the complexities of modern world.
इंडस्ट्रियल रिवॉल्यूशन आया था फर्स्ट सेकंड और थर्ड, it was a game-changer. It changed the entire world. We now are at the cusp of another industrial revolution because of technology available for everything.
Everything is getting robotised also. मेरा इसमें कहना है You have unparalleled access to information technology. कई देश है जहां इंटरनेट नहीं है कई देश हैं जहां 2G है। Ours is a country amongst very few countries, my friends, which are focussing on 6G.
From 2025-2030, you will find commercial exploitation of 6G. आप सोशल मीडिया एक ऐसा पावर बन गया है anything can be amplified, any narrative can be set afloat. इसमें हर नागरिक की बहुत बड़ी भूमिका है कुछ तकते हैं देश में They try to taint, tarnish, demean our image.
Every young mind, impressionable young mind like you should take to social media and ask questions. यदि अगर संसदीय प्रणाली में एक राजनीतिक हथियार की तरह disruption और disturbance को काम में लिया जाता है तो आपको याद दिलाना चाहिए उनको जब भारत के संविधान का निर्माण हो रहा था करीब 3 साल तक यह प्रक्रिया चली 18 महत्वपूर्ण सभाएं हुई एक दिन भी disturbance और disruption नहीं हुआ एक दिन भी नारा नहीं लगा। उनके सामने समस्याएं जटिल थी विवाद पैदा करने वाली थी लोगों के अलग-अलग मत थे बातचीत से सुलझाया गया dialogue, discussion, debate these are essential for democracy to flourish
यदि अगर प्रजातंत्र की सबसे बड़ी मंदिर में slogan shouting होगी हम ऐसा आचरण करेंगे जिसको देखकर हमारे नवयुवक अचंभित हो जाएंगे क्या हमने इन्हें इस उद्देश्य से भेजा है? You are a great force. You have to engage yourself.
I am not saying what side to take. Always take one side. The side of your conscience, the side of truth, the side of nationalism.
वर्ल्ड में हमारी एक पहचान बनी है स्टार्टअप की. The youth can spearhead the creation of a vibrant startup ecosystem. And that will foster job creation, economic inclusivity, and technological advancements.
जिस चीज की हम कल्पना नहीं कर सकते थे कि जिस व्यक्ति ने IIT की डिग्री ले ली है IIT से अच्छी खासी नौकरी है उसे अचानक लगा कि मुझे लोगों को अच्छा दूध उपलब्ध कराना चाहिए। खाने का मतलब अगर एक अच्छा विचार आ जाए, try to assure the citizens that you will be convinced of it. You can plan it. You can go ahead. This is how people created Amul. This is how giants are created. It is all on account of one thought.
By encouraging a culture of innovation and providing incubation support, we can unleash the latent entrepreneurship spirit that is in every youth. I urge young people to be entrepreneurs and job creators. I am saying so because there are policies which will help you financially and otherwise.
When I was governor of the state of West Bengal, I headed a group of ten governors on the ease of doing business. I am happy to tell you revolutionary changes have been brought about to see the transparency and accountability in governance. There was a time when power corridors were infested with power brokers without them, there was no work. They had access, exclusive access to opportunity, to contract and the like. It is not like that now, actually, power corridors have been sanitised of these corrupt elements who extra-legally leveraged decision-making. This is a big thing.
क्यों झूठ को तीन चीज बहुत परेशान करती है एक तो करप्शन करप्शन की सबसे ज्यादा आम आदमी और नवयुवक और युवती पर पड़ती है। उनका बड़ा झटका लगता है।
The second patronage is the right of equality. Some people used to think we are more equal than others. What will the law do to us? We have virtual immunity from law.
अब कानून में सब समान है यह बात जग जाहिर हो चुकी है आपको तो पता ही लग गया होगा सोचा नहीं था वह लोग अचंभित हो गए जिन्होंने कभी सोचा था कि वह कानून से ऊपर है कानून का शिकंजा उनके गले तक नहीं पहुंचेगा वह पहुंच गया।
वातावरण आपके देश की कोई परवाह नहीं करता आपके देश के पासपोर्ट की कोई हैसियत नहीं है जैसा बदल गया है इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर बदल गया है आपके लिए बिल्कुल अनुकूल वातावरण है फ्रेंड्स आप आगे आइए और ऐसा काम कीजिए that you bring about the change you believe in. Don’t go after somebody who has planned a change for you. Play a positive and nationalistic role in community engagements.
हम भारतीय हैं भारतीयता हमारी पहचान है हजारों साल की संस्कृति हमारी विरासत है उन मूल्यों के ऊपर हम टिके हुए हैं हम उनसे दूर नहीं है सकते। When it comes to nation being first, this is not an option. It’s the only way. I therefore appeal to all of you. You please champion causes that resonate with your dreams, your aspirations and welfare of the people.
महात्मा गांधी जी ने youth के लिए कहा था और जो मैं कह चुका हूं पर महात्मा गांधी जी ने सब कहा था जब उन्होंने भारत को उसे स्थिति में देखा था आज तो आप बहुत ही समृद्ध हो उन्होंने कहा था।
“Be the change you want to see in the world. The youth can inspire transformative action and bridge the gap between intent and impact”.
Friends, we are marching, we are in a marathon march. We all are marching to see realisation of a dream in 2047. Our dream is that when India, Bharat, home to one-sixth of humanity, celebrates centenary of its independence, we must be a developed nation.
अब देखिए इस मैराथन मार्च के अंदर सबसे ज्यादा stakeholder और लाभार्थी youth है हम नहीं रहेंगे आप सभी रहोगे आप ड्राइवर सीट पर रहोगे जब इतना बड़ा यज्ञ हो रहा है इतना बड़ा हवन हो रहा है इसमें तो हर किसी को आहुति देनी है और आपकी आहुति निरंतरता से जरूरी है क्योंकि उसे समय आप वह नजारा देख रहे होंगे जो सदियों पहले भारत की स्थिति थी हमारी यूनिवर्सिटी आगे बढ़ रही है अतीत में जाइए तो नालंदा तक्षशिला जैसी यूनिवर्सिटी ने दुनिया में आकर्षण प्राप्त करा था।
And therefore, please join this marathon march with total commitment and directional approach. APJ Abdul Kalam was the President of India. He contributed a lot in the technical field.
उनको पता था कि भारत को और दुनिया को बदलना है तो उसका एक ही माध्यम है। उन्होंने कहा था।
“Dream Dream Dreams transform into thoughts and thoughts result in action. Unquote. Join with this”.
इसी के साथ जोड़ दीजिए कि विवेकानंद जी ने क्या कहा था उन्होंने कहा था “Arise Awake and stop not till the goal is reached”. हमारा गोल्ड 2047 है फिलहाल।
फ्रेंड्स विवेकानंद जी ने खुद कहा है यह जो मेरा विचार है यह मेरा नहीं है यह ज्ञान उन्होंने उपनिषद से लिया था कथा उपनिषद से हमारे उपनिषद वेद पुराण ज्ञान के भंडार हैं
Let us, friends, keep nation first. Together, forge a path towards a resplendent future where India shines as a beacon of hope and progress not only for us but for the entire world.
I am grateful that this opportunity has been made available to me and I know the power of youth of this country. I know your talent. I know your anxiety also. इसीलिए सबसे पहले मैंने तीन भागों में बांटा सबसे पहले आपकी anxiety फिर नौकरी कहां मिलेगी Second, कैसे आप अपने आप को positively exploit कर सकते हैं ऑर्थड आपका लक्ष्य क्या है?
Thank you.