CM Sarma Urges students to take the lead in advancing India’s intellectual prowess
Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Graduation is not the end; it’s the beginning. The students should therefore resolve to give back to the society of what they have learnt in educational institutions”.
Delivering the convocation speech on the 9th convocation of Kaziranga University at Mohbandha in Jorhat district today, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma said that convocation is the occasion when students get their recognition of years of hard work and experience which they should utilise for the betterment of the state and the country. Congratulating the students on their extraordinary feat, Dr. Sarma said that their successes have opened new vistas for them to utilise of what they learnt in University. The Chief Minister also congratulated the faculty members and the parents for their painstaking efforts that led to success of the students.
The Chief Minister said that it is indeed commendable that Assam Kaziranga University since its establishment in 2012 has been giving a special focus in the field of research. Many students of this university are now engaged in research activities with the faculty members in different research projects. The university’s current focus on research in the areas of Renewable Energy, especially wind and solar, Nano Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Pharmaceuticals, Urban Waste Management, Smart Agriculture, Plasma Physics, etc promise great hope for North East. The collaborative effort of this university with NRL and Institute of Frontier Science and Application (IFSA) for mapping the wind energy potential, along the banks of river Brahmaputra, inspires much hope in harnessing this potential resource of the region. He also spoke about the rich tradition of profound knowledge in India that has always fostered scientific inquiry. He also said that considering the potential of the youth they should play a great role in realizing the vision for a resurgent India.
The Chief Minister said that India is the world’s oldest civilization that reflects a Dharmic view of life. India is not simply the political, technological or religious lines of civilization recognized by the Western world. This country is the source of profound spiritual and civilizational forces, which have penetrated Asia throughout history and influenced the entire world. India’s civilization contains a much broader scope than Western politics, philosophy, science or religion. Indian civilization teaches the mankind to have an approach to the whole of life in a more integral manner, Dr. Sarma added.
The Chief Minister also said that India’s contributions to science, astronomy, mathematics, medicine and other fields of learning have been immense. India has pioneered a science which the society calls the science of consciousness. This science is still more advanced than modern science and cannot be ignored. Yoga, which is India’s contribution to the world, has the capacity to connect to the spirituality, taking the mind beyond time, space and routine action. Therefore, in this backdrop the graduates should take the responsibility of advancing India’s intellectual prowess across the globe.
The Chief Minister also said that based on this ancient pool of knowledge, merged with modern technologies, India today is marching ahead to accomplish the vision of Amrit Kaal. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has presented before the countrymen a vision for the next 25 years leading up to 2047, the Chief Minister said,
“We should not limit the occasion of 75 years of Indian Independence to just one ceremony. We must lay the groundwork for new resolutions and move forward with new resolutions. The goal of ‘Amrit Kaal’ is to ascend to new heights of prosperity for India and the citizens of India.”
He said that young generation has great things in the coming decades as the youth must not only act, but also dream. They must not only plan, but also believe in themselves to create a road map for structural transformation in the next 25 years.
Talking about digital transformation, Dr. Sarma said that digital economy will continue to expand in all sectors of the economy. Technologies that are going to dominate the country in the coming decades are Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Web 3.0, Quantum Computing, Semiconductor Technology, Nanotechnology and Smart manufacturing. Emphasis will be laid on the use of Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, Big data Analytics and Robotics as part of Industry 4.0. In view of this, students have ample scope to work and create opportunities for others as well.
The Chief Minister said that 21st century is India’s century. India has marked a revival at a civilization level in this period, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In terms of foreign policy, the new India has developed an India centred policy. Today’s India is having its own strength in terms of military, economic and cultural power. India is now a major presence on the world stage and set to be one of the dominant world powers in the economic and political arenas in the coming century.
In this backdrop he said that Assam Kaziranga University should give ample focus on these areas. Similarly, the graduating students should also continue the zeal for learning to contribute their fullest for the nation’s growth, by focusing on the priority areas, identified for the next 25 years.
It may be noted that altogether 665 students received their degrees on the convocation which was attended among others by Chancellor of University Besant Khetan, Director Smt Rainy Khetan, VC Dr. Prasanta Kumar Mishra, Adviser to Education, Government of Assam Prof Nani Gopal Mahanta.