NEW DELHI, India — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India’s youth will play a decisive role in the country’s journey towards becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’, urging young graduates to keep learning as technology, industries and professions undergo rapid changes.
- PM Modi said youth decisions will influence India’s journey towards ‘Viksit Bharat’ over the next three to four decades.
- More than 3,000 students, including 587 PhD scholars, received degrees at the IIT Delhi convocation.
- The Prime Minister highlighted research and innovation initiatives, including the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship and National Research Foundation.
- PM Modi virtually inaugurated ‘Param Pragya’, an AI-powered high-performance supercomputing facility at IIT Delhi’s Sonipat campus.
PM Modi stresses continuous learning
Addressing the convocation ceremony of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, Modi said rapid technological development and changes in the global strategic landscape would create both challenges and opportunities for the younger generation.
He said the pace of technological change makes it difficult to predict how the world will look over the next two or three decades.
“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 technological advances would continue to alter industries, professions and the nature of work, making the ability to learn and adapt increasingly important.
Youth decisions and India’s national goals
Modi told the graduating students that every generation faces challenges specific to its time and carries its own national responsibilities.
He said the decisions graduates make during the next 30 to 35 years of their lives would influence India’s progress towards the goal of ‘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?”
The Prime Minister urged young Indians to consider the wider national impact of their professional choices and contributions.
Focus on research and innovation
Modi also highlighted research and innovation as important avenues for young graduates and pointed to government programmes intended to expand opportunities for researchers.
He said the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship is providing talented young people with opportunities to pursue research.
He also referred to the Research, Development, and Innovation Scheme and the National Research Foundation, saying both initiatives were aimed at strengthening India’s research ecosystem and supporting new ideas.
According to Modi, funding of up to Rs 1 lakh crore is being arranged for the research sector.
Global research access through One Nation, One Subscription
The Prime Minister also referred to the ‘One Nation, One Subscription’ initiative, under which access to prestigious global research journals is being extended to smaller towns without additional cost.
He said young Indians need access to knowledge, research resources and opportunities that allow them to compete and contribute at the global level.
More than 3,000 students receive degrees
More than 3,000 students were conferred degrees during the IIT Delhi convocation, including 587 PhD scholars.
Modi also presented academic honours to meritorious students for their performance.
The awards included the President’s Gold Medal, Director’s Gold Medal, Shankar Dayal Sharma Gold Medal and Perfect Ten Gold Medal.
AI-powered ‘Param Pragya’ facility inaugurated
During the ceremony, Modi virtually inaugurated ‘Param Pragya’, an artificial intelligence-powered high-performance supercomputing facility at IIT Delhi’s Sonipat campus.
The facility is expected to strengthen the institute’s capabilities in artificial intelligence, data science, advanced computing and interdisciplinary research.
The inauguration placed advanced computing and AI research alongside the Prime Minister’s broader emphasis on research, innovation and continuous learning for India’s young graduates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did PM Modi say about India’s youth?
PM Modi said the lives, choices and decisions of young Indians would play a crucial role in shaping the country’s journey towards becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’.
What is Param Pragya at IIT Delhi?
‘Param Pragya’ is an AI-powered high-performance supercomputing facility at IIT Delhi’s Sonipat campus. According to the supplied material, it is expected to strengthen work in AI, data science, advanced computing and interdisciplinary research.
What happens next?
The IIT Delhi convocation highlighted the government’s focus on research, innovation, advanced computing and access to global knowledge as areas of opportunity for young Indians.
For the graduating students, Modi’s message centred on continuous learning and using professional choices to contribute to India’s long-term development and the ‘Viksit Bharat’ goal.
