New Delhi, Aug 8 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the lives and choices of the youth will play a crucial role in shaping India's journey towards becoming a 'Viksit Bharat', stressing that every decision they make will have an impact on the country and its future. He also added that those who keep learning will succeed.
Addressing the Convocation Ceremony of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, PM Modi highlighted the rapid changes taking place across the world and said that the evolving global strategic landscape and fast-paced technological developments would create both challenges and new opportunities for the younger generation.
A total of 3,000-plus students, including 587 PhD scholars, were conferred their degrees during the ceremony.
"The world's strategic equations are changing quickly, and the global balance of power is shifting every moment. The biggest force behind this transformation is the rapid pace of technology. Today, no one can say with certainty what the world will look like over the next 20–30 years. But whenever a period of change comes, it brings challenges as well as new opportunities. The world will change, technology will advance, industries will grow, and professions will evolve. But remember one thing: Those who keep learning will succeed," the Prime Minister said.
He emphasised that continuous learning would remain essential in a rapidly changing world, where technological advancement is expected to reshape industries, professions and the nature of work in the coming decades.
"You are all aware that every generation faces the specific challenges of its time and also bears its own national responsibility. Whatever you do over the next 30 to 35 years of your lives will influence our journey towards a 'Viksit Bharat'. Hence, every decision you make should also be focussed on how it will benefit the country. Which of the nation's needs will this fulfil?" PM Modi added.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the growing opportunities in the field of research and innovation, describing it as another major avenue available to the young graduates as they begin the next phase of their professional and academic journeys.
He pointed out several initiatives introduced by the government to encourage young researchers and strengthen the country's research ecosystem.
"The Prime Minister's Research Fellowship is providing our talented youth with opportunities to conduct research. A 'Research, Development, and Innovation Scheme' has been launched to enable the advancement of new ideas. The National Research Foundation has also been established to give fresh impetus to science and research in the country. Funding of up to Rs 1 lakh crore is being arranged for the research sector," he said.
"Through the 'One Nation, One Subscription' initiative, prestigious global research journals are now reaching even the smallest towns in the country at no additional cost," the Prime Minister added.
He further underlined the importance of ensuring that India's young talent has access to knowledge, research resources and opportunities that can help the country compete and contribute at the global level.
The Prime Minister also presented IIT Delhi's prestigious academic honours to meritorious students in recognition of their outstanding performance. The awards include the President's Gold Medal, Director's Gold Medal, Shankar Dayal Sharma Gold Medal and Perfect Ten Gold Medal.
Additionally, the Prime Minister virtually inaugurated 'Param Pragya' -- an AI-powered high-performance supercomputing facility at the institute's Sonipat campus.
The facility is expected to strengthen the institute's capabilities in Artificial Intelligence, data science, advanced computing and interdisciplinary research.
--IANS
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