Ethical leadership is non-negotiable, states the Vice-President

The Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar underscored the importance of core values in leadership, and cautioned the youth against succumbing to temptations and unethical shortcuts. “Ethical leadership is non-negotiable; compromising ethics cannot make you a winner of the kind that the world will salute,” he stated.

Addressing students and faculty members at the 6^th Convocation Ceremony of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bodh Gaya, the Vice-President highlighted their role as ‘torchbearers of India’s future’. “I urge you to be harbingers and ambassadors of a society where there is scrupulous and meticulous adherence to rule of law,” he further emphasised.

Underlining the significance of economic nationalism for the nation’s prosperity and sovereignty, the Vice-President appealed to citizens to make ‘Swadeshi’ and ‘Vocal for Local’ a national habit. Doing so would result in “significant positive contribution to our foreign exchange reserves, generation of employment opportunities and nurturing of entrepreneurship,” Shri Dhankhar elaborated.

Drawing attention to India’s rising economic trajectory in the face of global headwinds, Vice-President Dhankhar noted that the “national mood is upbeat with our surging global image.” Stressing on the presence of an enabling ecosystem and new vistas, he encouraged students “to harness talent and skills to script new chapters in India’s growth story”.

Highlighting India’s position as a frontrunner across various frontiers of cutting-edge technology such as quantum computing, machine learning, 6G and green hydrogen, the Vice-President underscored the “gold mine opportunities” that these present for young minds. Urging them to be unconventional and to think out-of-the-box, Shri Dhankhar said, “Be assured that you will never be starved of ideas as the startup ecosystem offers endless opportunities.”

Shri Rajendra Arlekar, Governor of Bihar; Shri Uday Kotak, Chairperson, IIM Bodh Gaya; Shri Amitabh Kant, India’s G20 Sherpa, and former CEO, NITI Aayog; Dr. Vinita S. Sahay, Director, IIM Bodh Gaya, and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

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MS/JK/RC