Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked IIT graduates to choose challenge over comfort and urged them to start working now for the kind of India they want in the next 25 years, saying a lot of time has already been wasted.
Addressing the 54th convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur, Modi told the fresh graduates to show impatience to make India self-reliant.
He said India too had started its new journey after Independence. “By the time 25 years were completed, a lot of work should have been done for standing on our own feet. But a lot of time has been wasted.”
“The country has lost a lot of time, two generations have gone by and so we should not miss even two moments now," he said.
The PM said many people will tell the students to take shortcuts for convenience.
“But my advice would be that you don't choose comfort. Choose challenge because whether you want it or not there are bound to be challenges in life and those who run away from them become victims," he said.
He told students that they have to take over the reins of the country's development and start work on it right now.
“It is the responsibility of all of you to give direction to the country for the next 25 years, to give momentum to the country," he said.
Modi said the country is standing on the threshold of “immense opportunities”, which brought big responsibilities as well.
He said these responsibilities also represented dreams for the country. “You and your generation have got the opportunity to realise those dreams and make a modern India."
He said the attitude of the IIT graduates was the same as that of the country -– to work towards bringing results rather than just make do.
He said the students might detect impatience in his talk.
“I want that you should also be impatient for atmanirbhar Bharat. Self-reliant India is the core of complete Independence where we are not reliant on anyone," he said, invoking Swami Vivekananada.
In this 75th year of Independence the country has more than 75 unicorns and over 50,000 startups, the PM said. Of these 10,000 have emerged only in the last six months, he added.
Today, India has emerged as the second largest startup hub in the world, he said.
The prime minister launched blockchain-based digital degrees at the ceremony, which was also attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The students were issued digital degrees through an in-house blockchain-driven technology developed under the National Blockchain Project. These degrees can be verified globally and can't be forged, officials said.
