DIBRUGARH: The Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday said education is the most effective and transformative mechanism to bring about equity, equality and progress in the society.
“Nothing can change societal conditions more than people getting educated,” he underlined.
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Also read: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar to visit Manipur on May 3
Addressing the 21st convocation of Dibrugarh University in eastern Assam, the Vice President urged the students to be ‘agents of change’ and work for bringing about positive changes in the society.
“You are makers and warriors of Bharat in 2047 when the nation will celebrate the centenary of its independence,” he told the students.
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Describing competition as the ‘best guru’, and fear as the worst enemy, Dhankhar asked the students to dream big and never take stress.
“Have a dream but do not be just a dreamer, be a doer,” he told them.
Praising the eight north-eastern states as the ‘Ashta Laxmis’ of India, the Vice President said without their growth and contribution, India’s growth will remain incomplete.
He also commended the Dibrugarh University of Assam for its work towards preserving the linguistic diversity and literary traditions of the region.
Preserving our languages is very important as they have evolved over thousands of years, he said.
Also read: Assam: Vice President attends Dibrugarh University convocation
Expressing happiness over the inclusion of the Northeast in India’s mainstream narrative in Amrit Kaal, the Vice President praised NCERT and Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) for highlighting the contribution of unsung heroes of the Northeast, in our history and freedom struggle.
Commending the government’s focus on improving physical, social and digital infrastructure in the region, Dhankhar said that the Northeast is emerging as the land of opportunities.
Mentioning various projects like Bogibeel rain-cum road bridge in Assam, 375 road projects, rise of airport network from nine to 17 and setting up of 190 new educational institutions in north-eastern region, he highlighted that new avenues and vistas are now available to youth to unleash their energy.
Describing India’s growth story as ‘unstoppable’, the Vice President expressed confidence that by the end of decade, ‘we’ll be the world’s third largest economy’.
Referring to several milestone achievements such as providing digital IDs (AADHAR) to 99.9 per cent Indians, JAM trinity, MUDRA and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, he said that even IMF has praised India’s world-class digital public infrastructure calling it as a model for other nations undergoing digital transformation.
Describing India as the Mother of Democracy and world’s most vibrant democracy, the Vice President questioned why some of us decry our democracy within and outside the country.
He also underlined that freedom of expression has not been subjected to any enforced silence in India.
Calling Parliament as the temple of our democracy, the Vice President emphasized that it is a platform where issues of public interests are debated, deliberated, discussed and decided, but prolonged disruptions.
He added, ‘undermine the esteem and confidence which people repose in their representative institutions’.
Therefore, he called for generating an ecosystem so that our parliamentarians respond positively to the spirit and essence of the founding fathers of our Constitution.
Congratulating the passing out students, Dhankhar asked them not to forget their gurus and their alma-mater.
“As alumni of this institution, you should contribute for the welfare of your University in whatever form you can,” he said.
On this occasion, the Vice President conferred D Sc and D Litt degrees (Honoris Causa) to eminent personalities of Assam.
He also planted a tree sapling at the University campus.
Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria who is also the Chancellor of Dibrugarh University, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sharma, Union Minister of State of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Labour and Employment Rameswar Teli, Assam Education Minister Dr Ranoj Pegu, Prof Jiten Hazarika, vice chancellor, Dibrugarh University, members of the board, director, faculty, staff, students and families of the graduating students were present on the occasion.