Tiruchirappalli (Tamil Nadu): Indian innovators took the number of patents from around 4,000 in 2014 to almost 50,000 now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Tuesday.
Addressing the convocation ceremony of state-run Bharathidasan University here, the Prime Minister quoted the 'Puthiyathor Ulagam Seivom' Tamil verses of poet Bharathidasan, after whom the university had been named, and said it meant creating a brave new world which is also the university's motto.
Modi said the Indian youth were already creating such a world. The Indian scientists are on the world map through missions like Chandrayaan and 'our innovators took the number of patents from around 4,000 in 2014 to almost 50,000 now.'
India's 'humanity scholars are showcasing the India story to the world like never before.' Also, the nation's musicians and artists were continuously bringing international awards for the country, he said. Modi underlined that giving back to the people for a better society and country is the true purpose of education.
"Youth means energy, it means the ability to work with speed, skill and scale. In the last few years, we have worked to match you in speed and scale, so that we can benefit you." In the last 10 years, the number of airports had doubled from 74 to nearly 150. "Tamil Nadu has a vibrant coastline so you would be happy to know that the total cargo handling capacity of major ports in India has doubled since 2014."
The speed of road and highway construction in the country has almost doubled in the last 10 years. The number of registered startups in the country has grown to almost one lakh; this was less than 100 in 2014. India has also seen a number of trade deals with important economies and such deals will open up new markets for our goods and services. They also create countless new opportunities for youths.
Whether it is institutions like the G-20, fighting against climate change or playing a bigger role in the global supply chain, India is being welcomed as a part of every global solution. "In many ways, due to the local and global factors, this is the best time to be young in India. Make the most of this time to take our country to new heights."
Underscoring the importance of constant learning, re-skilling and upskilling, he said in a rapidly transforming world, 'either you drive change or change drives you.' Modi is the first prime Minister to address the convocation ceremony of the varsity, established in 1982.
In a very brief interaction with a group of students, he asked if anyone was interested to go to Delhi, to which two women students raised their hands and smiled. The Prime Minister paid floral tributes to a bust of Bharathidasan (1891-1964), hailed as revolutionary Tamil poet, and he posed for a group-photograph with students, Governor R N Ravi and Chief Minister M K Stalin.
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