Vice President emphasized Dr. B.R Ambedkar's words, "You should be Indians first, Indians last, and nothing else but Indians."

The Vice-President of India Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar addressed the convocation ceremony of the Maharshi Dayanand University in Rohtak today & he appreciated the thriving affirmative ecosystem empowering the youth.

Highlighting the vast vista of opportunities available to the youth today and encouraging the graduates to script their own success stories. The Vice-President remarked that in today’s ecosystem “nothing is impossible, as the word itself says, ‘I am possible!”

Describing Graduation as a ‘bittersweet moment’ that marks as an end of an era and a beginning of a new one, the Vice-President stressed that it is a blissful, unforgettable moment for family, teachers and Alma-mater.Furthermore, VP encouraged the students to continue the pursuit of knowledge and learning through-out life.

Drawing inspiration from the life of Swami Dayanand Saraswati as an epitome of simplicity and virtuosity, Vice-President reflected that Swamiji dedicated his life for catalysing social reforms and disseminating the teaching of the Vedas to the masses, ‘Bharat presently is largely reflection of the dreams of Swamiji’, he added.

The Vice-President urged the students to always respect their teachers, their nation and  take care of their parents. Lamenting on the rise of old age homes, Vice-President remarked that in our country there should be no need for old age homes as family bonds and relationships are given importance in our society.

The Vice-President called upon the students to always take care of their parents and elders, no matter what their status, their place of residence, how much name, fame and wealth they have earned in life.

God is in the service of one’s parents and elders, he further added.

The Vice-President emphasized that the young generation should follow the words of Dr. B.R Ambedkar that is”You should be Indians first, Indians last, and nothing else but Indians.” He questioned how any individual, claiming belief in Bharatiyata and being a citizen of Bharat, could undermine our nation’s integrity, hinder its progress, or defame its constitutional institutions, whether within the country or beyond its borders

The Vice-President emphasized the significance of maintaining a lasting connection with one’s Alma-mater, stressing that this link isn’t just about ‘quantum of physical contribution’. Encouraging students to be proud ambassadors, he highlighted the importance of a fiscal connection, underscoring its role in propelling the institution’s impactful journey towards further growth and success.

Calling the young minds of India, “the vanguards of a resurgent Bharat” , Vice-President informed that youth have revolutionized the agriculture sector, creating the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world, and “their contribution is such that Bharat@2047 will be a developed nation”, he asserted.

Stressing that world is confronting disruptive technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Machine Learning, Green Hydrogen, and Quantum Computing, Vice-President informed that the government has allocated significant funds—6000 crores for Quantum Computing and 9000 crores for the Green Hydrogen Mission. He also underlined that due to this investment “by 2030 there will be 8 lakh crore investment and nearly 6 lakh jobs would be created”.

Underlining the importance of courage, and perseverance to execute any idea, Shri Dhankhar remarked “A parachute works only when it is open. To be possessed of a great mind is of no use, like a parachute. If you drop it and do not open it, you suffer the consequences.”

Emphasizing  that “honesty, accountability, transparency, and integrity” as non-negotiable elements of governance today, Vice-President acknowledged that the governance landscape today stands transformed with uniform adherence to law and its enforcement, wherein no one stands exempt. “The situation some people think we are inscrutable by the agency; some people think we are beyond the reach of the law. That scenario has totally collapsed”, he added.

The Vice-President praised India’s transformation from the “fragile-five” economies to becoming one of the top five economies globally. He highlighted the projection that by the end of the decade, India is poised to secure the position as the third-largest economic power, surpassing both Japan and Germany.

Tracing the shift from an era plagued by corrupt power brokers, Vice-President emphasized that today we have established an ecosystem where power corridors are free from corruption and intermediaries and “equality and accountability before law is now a ground reality”, he noted.

Recognising failure as the biggest teacher and the first stepping stone for eventual success,Vice-President advised students to never have fear of failure and never get disheartened.

Shri Bandaru Dattatraya, Hon’ble Governor of Haryana and Chancellor, MDU, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Surya Kant, Judge, Supreme Court of India, Shri Mool Chand Sharma, Hon’ble Minister of Higher Education, Govt. of Haryana, Shri Anand Mohan Sharan, Additional Chief Secretary Higher Education, Govt. of Haryana, Prof. Rajbir Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Maharshi Dayanand University, Professors and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

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MS/JK/RC