SHRI RAJNATH SINGH ATTRIBUTES THE SUCCESS OF AATMANIRBHAR BHARAT TO SELF-BELIEF OF INDIA’S YOUTH

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh today attributed the success of Aatmanirbhar Bharat to those who have faith in the India story and the self-belief of India's youth. Speaking about India's defence capabilities, he said that with the commissioning of INS Vikrant, India has become the sixth nation in the world to build aircraft carriers and is also building powerful warships, indicative of a strong and self-reliant nation. Addressing the 5^th convocation of Swami Rama Himalayan University in Dehradun, Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted the importance of team spirit saying that while individual success is important, it is only when the entire team succeeds that we get the recognition we deserve. He said that team spirit is the basis of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for "Sabka Saath Sabka Vikaas", which has opened up new possibilities for India and increased our nation's global stature.

Raksha Mantri asked the graduating students to face life challenges with energy and enthusiasm as they go out into the world. He emphasised that Generation Z has extensive exposure to digital and information technology, which are impacting every aspect of our lives today. With the rollout of 5G connectivity and other technologies, India is establishing global benchmarks with its digital infrastructure in areas like digital payments and telecom technology, he added. "Today internet and information technology has unlocked potential in fields ranging from health to education, and even India's 101^st unicorn is an edutech startup", he mentioned. Hailing the entrepreneurial spirit of India's youth, Raksha Mantri also stated that India's start-ups have grown from around 400-500 in 2014 to over 80,000 today.

Raksha Mantri reminded those in attendance of our responsibility towards social welfare and appealed to students to attempt to make the world a better place through their efforts in every sphere of life. He noted that challenges should be seen as opportunities, and through its response to the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, India has become Aatmanirbhar (Self-Reliant) in sectors ranging from health to defence. During the pandemic, not only did India vaccinate its own citizens, but also provided vaccines to 100 nations across the world, Shri Rajnath Singh added.

Shri Rajnath Singh further spoke of India's global leadership, saying that our spiritual and economic strength is based on eternal wisdom and eternal truth and has therefore been recognised globally. "India's glorious past and traditions are a source of inspiration for us all", he said. He enumerated India's ancient contributions to fields such as mathematics, science and philosophy and said that our youth should draw inspiration from our rich cultural traditions to scale new heights in every sphere and build a New India. He expressed confidence that the coming age belongs to India, which is now amongst the top five economies in the world. Shri Rajnath Singh ended his address by asking students to be proud of India's rich cultural history, which is a source of inspiration to us all. He called on them to come forward and contribute towards making India a Vishwa Guru again. He further said that the youth of India should have confidence in their ability to excel in every sphere and achieve their goals.

Chief Minister of Uttarakhand was Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat, Vice Chancellor of SRHU Dr. Vijay Dhasmana and other dignitaries including local public representatives and parents and guardians of students and faculty and staff of the university were also present at the convocation ceremony.

ABB/SPS/GC