GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually addressed the 18th convocation of Tezpur University on Friday, exhorting youths to inculcate positive attitude and self confidence to take Assam, Northeast and the country to newer heights.
Altogether, 1218 students passing out in the year 2020 were conferred degrees and diplomas at the convocation attended by Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
During the 28-minute virtual address, the Prime Minister said the convocation would be a moment to remember and cherish for a lifetime for the students of the university.
“From today, your careers would be forever attached to Tezpur University and I am confident that whatever you have learned in the institution will lend momentum to Assam and the country’s progress in the years and decades to come,” Modi said.
“There are reasons for this conviction as Tezpur, given its history, has always been an inspiration. The work that you are doing in the university is very inspirational and will certainly contribute to nation building,” he said.
Citing examples of positivity to overcome challenging situations, the Prime Minister referred to how India lessened the impact of COVID with a transformed mindset and self reliance.
He even pointed out how a depleted but highly spirited Indian cricket team came back from a historic drubbing to turn tables and defeat a full-strength Australian team in the four-match Test series in Australia recently.
“These are life’s lessons. If we believe in our abilities, we can achieve success. We need to be prepared to explore winning options by treading challenging paths. We need to be proactive and fearless and not let unnecessary pressure retard our progress,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister also referred to the “Make in India” and “Digital India” campaigns helping the country with solutions in adversity.
Reading out a few lines from Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika’s Assamese literary composition, which is also part of the anthem of the university, the Prime Minister paid tributes to Tezpur referring to the historic Agnigarh and Kaliabhomora Setu.
“The sentiment in the university anthem written by Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika resonates with the great history of Tezpur. Great personalities such as Jyoti Prasad Agarwalla and Bishnu Prasad Rabha are an identity of Tezpur and an inspiration for the students,” he said.
Urging youths to strive for a new and self-reliant India, Modi said, “The next 25/26 years (till 100 years of India’s Independence) will be the golden years in your history.”
The Prime Minister said that innovations at the grassroots are giving momentum to the “Vocal for Local” campaign and are being used to solve local problems, opening new doors of development.
Pointing out the significant contributions of the university, he said the department of chemical science of Tezpur University has developed a low-cost technology to provide clean drinking water, which has benefited the villages of Assam and even some other states.
Moreover, the work that you are doing to develop technologies connected to bio gas, organic fertilisers, etc and bringing about solutions, is commendable,” he said.
Modi lauded the university for its initiatives in biodiversity preservation and promotion of Assam’s rich heritage.
The Prime Minister further expressed confidence that the university would fulfill the objectives of the new National Education Policy (NEP) which encourages greater use of technology and emphasises multi-disciplinary education and flexibility.