NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed IIT Delhi’s 57th Convocation Ceremony, urging graduating students to embrace change, keep learning and remember the mentors who shaped their journey.Addressing more than 3,000 graduating students, including 587 PhD scholars, as the chief guest, PM Modi congratulated them on completing their studies and asked them to embrace the next phase of their lives. “From orientation to convocation, you must be satisfied with your journey, but also excited about the start of a new chapter,” Modi said.He asked students to “live this moment to the fullest”, noting that many were preparing to start their first jobs, move to new cities, launch startups or appear for competitive examinations.The Prime Minister also urged them not to forget their time at IIT Delhi or the people who supported them. “Carry them as an asset; don’t forget them. Before you leave, make sure to meet every member here,” he said.Speaking about the rapidly changing world and technology, the Prime Minister asked students to keep their curiosity and learning instinct alive.“Today, the world is changing rapidly. Nobody can say what will happen 20-30 years from now. Keep your curiosity alive in life… Keep your learning instinct alive. Those who learn, win,” he said.He said people who remain open to new situations and challenges can turn difficulties into opportunities. “Challenges become chances for those with courage to find new solutions,” Modi said, adding that this was among the things students had learned at IIT Delhi.“The global power balance is changing every moment and the biggest force behind it is the speed of technology,” he said.The PM also spoke about India’s push for self-reliance and the emergence of new sectors for the country’s youth. Referring to the semiconductor sector, he said India had begun production at its first semiconductor unit. “I firmly believe that from chips to ships, everything will be made here by your hands,” he added.
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The Prime Minister also presented IIT Delhi’s top honours, including the President’s Gold Medal, Director’s Gold Medal, Shankar Dayal Sharma Gold Medal and Perfect Ten Gold Medals, to meritorious students.He said he was proud of the graduating students but that there should have been “more” girls among them. “Just as your families are feeling proud today, I, too, am proud of all of you,” he added.Union Education Minister Prahlad Joshi, who was also present at the ceremony, said PM Modi’s vision had made India’s education ecosystem “learner-centric, research-driven, and future-ready”.Earlier, the Prime Minister inaugurated Param Pragya, an AI-powered high-performance supercomputing facility at IIT Delhi’s Sonipat campus. According to the PMO, the facility will strengthen the institute’s capabilities in AI, data science, advanced computing and interdisciplinary research.
