Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation

PM’s address at the convocation ceremony of IIT Delhi

  • Today is a very important day in the world of technology. Today, the country is getting more than 2,000 technology experts through IIT Delhi.
  • On this important occasion, I extend my best wishes to the students, who are getting the degrees, specially their parents, their guides and faculty members.
  • Today is the 51st Convocation of IIT Delhi and this great institution is also celebrating its diamond jubilee. IIT Delhi has also prepared its vision document for this decade.
  • My best wishes to you for the diamond jubilee year and your goals for this decade and assure you full support from the Indian government.
  • Today is the birth anniversary of great scientist Dr. C.V. Raman. It is a very auspicious occasion that this convocation coincides with his birthday.
  • I also salute him respectfully. His noble works will continue to inspire all of us, specially my young scientist friends.
  • Friends, This crisis of corona has brought about a major change in the world. Post-Covid world is going to be very different and technology will have an important role in it.
  • Nobody had imagined a year ago that the nature of meetings, exams, viva or convocations will change. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are replacing the Working Reality.
  • You may be feeling your batch is not very lucky. I am sure you are asking yourself — did all this have to happen in our graduating year only? But, think of it differently.
  • You have a first mover advantage. You have more time to learn and adapt to the new norms emerging in the work place and beyond.
  • So, make most use of this. And, think of the brighter side too. You are also a lucky batch. You were able to enjoy Rendezvous in your final year on campus.
  • See how different things were last October and this October. You will look back fondly at: All nights in the library and reading room before the exams.
  • Late night paratha at the night-mess, the coffee and muffin between lectures. I am also told IIT-Delhi has two types of friends: College friends. Hostel video games friends. You will surely miss both.
  • Friends, Before this, I also got an opportunity to attend the convocations of IIT Madras, IIT Bombay and IIT Guwahati in a similar way and at some places had the opportunity to go there.
  • In all these places, I found this similarity that everywhere some innovation is taking place. This is a great force for the success of the Self-Reliant India Campaign.
  • Covid-19 has taught one thing to the world. Globalization is important but Self-Reliance is also equally important.
  • Friends, Self-Reliant India campaign is an important mission to provide many new opportunities to the youth of the country, technocrats and tech-enterprise leaders.

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