PM’s address at 66th Convocation of IIT Kharagpur, West Bengal
Speaker: Narendra Modi
Date: 23 Feb, 2021

Namaskar ji, My colleagues in the Union Cabinet, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank ji, Shri Sanjay Dhotre ji, Chairman, IIT Kharagpur, Shri Sanjeev Goenka ji, Director Shri V.K. Tewari ji, other faculty members, all the staff, parents and my young colleagues!! Today is important not for only those students of IIT Kharagpur who are getting degrees. Today is equally important for the building of a new India. The expectations from you are not just from your parents and professors, but you represent the aspirations of 130 crore Indians. Therefore, the 21st Century self-reliant India expects new leadership for the new ecosystem from this institute — the new ecosystem in the world of our start-ups, the new ecosystem in the world of our innovation research, the new ecosystem in our corporate world, and the new ecosystem in the administrative system of the country. Not only do you have to start a new life for yourself after graduating from this campus, you also have to become a start-up in yourself that will change the lives of millions of people in the country. Therefore, this degree, the medal that is in your hands, is a kind of a letter of aspiration for millions of hopes that you have to fulfill. You should also anticipate the future while keeping an eye on the present. If we start working today for our present requirements and the requirements needed 10 years later, then India will develop tomorrow’s innovations today. Friends, As an engineer, there is an inherent ability within you and that is the ability to develop things from pattern to patent. In a way, you have the ability to look at subjects in a specific way and with a new vision. Therefore, you are able to see the problems and their patterns very closely from the repository of information around us. Patterns are associated with each problem. The understanding of problems’ patterns leads us to their long term solutions. This understanding becomes a cornerstone of new discoveries and breakthroughs in the future. Imagine how many lives you can change, how many lives you can save, you can save the resources of the country, if you understand the patterns and find solutions. And there is also a possibility that the same solution will give you commercial success in the future. Friends, No doubt, you will face many questions when you embark on the journey of your life. Whether it is right or wrong, whether it will lead to losses or will the time not be wasted. Many such queries will trap your mind. The answer to all these questions is Self Three. I am not talking about Selfie, but Self Three, i.e., Self-awareness, Self-confidence and the most potent Selflessness. You need to recognize your strength and move forward confidently and selflessly. We have been told: शनैः पन्थाः शनैः कन्था शनैः पर्वतलंघनम । शनैर्विद्या शनैर्वित्तं पञ्चतानि शनैः शनैः i.e., one has to be patient when the path is long, sheet has to be stitched, the mountain to be climbed, the studies or the earning for life. Science has made these problems of hundreds of years ago much simpler today. But as far as the experiment in knowledge and science is concerned, the proverb that one has to be gradually patient is equally eternal. There is no room for haste in science, technology and innovations. You may not get full success in your proposed innovation. But that failure will also be considered a success, because you will learn something from that too. You have to remember that every scientific and technological failure leads to a new discovery and I want to see you march on the path of success. This failure can lead your way to success. Friends, The situation in 21st century India has also changed; needs have also changed and so are aspirations. Now IITs need to be taken to the next level of the Institutes of Indigenous Technologies from being just the Indian Institutes of Technology. The more our IITs do research to address India’s challenges, create solutions for India, the more they will become a medium of global application. Your successful experiments from among such a large population will not fail anywhere in the world. Friends, You are aware that at a time when the world is facing the challenges of climate change, India presented the idea of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) before the world and made it a reality. Today, many countries in the world are joining the campaign launched by India. Now, we have a responsibility to take this campaign further. Can we offer cheaper, affordable, environment-friendly technology to the world that propels India’s initiative, further strengthening India’s identity? Today, India is among the countries where the price of solar power per unit is very low. But there are still a lot of challenges to provide door-to-door solar power. I once said, “I would tell the students of IIT that if we run a clean cooking movement and develop a solar-based stove and solar-powered energy storage battery required for the house.” You see, there are 25 crore hearths (stoves) in India. There is a market of 25 crores. If it is successful, the cheap battery that is being developed for the electronic vehicle will cross-subsidize it. Now who else better than the youth of IITs can do it? India needs a technology that minimizes damage to the environment, is durable and people can use it more easily. Friends, Disaster management is one such topic on which India has attracted the attention of the world. The big disasters not only claim lives but also cause heavy damage to infrastructure. Realizing this, India called for the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) at the United Nations two years ago. Many countries in the world are also joining it, understanding India’s concern and initiative over disaster management and the world is welcoming it today. At such times, it is natural to turn to India’s technology experts to see what solution they can offer to the world in building disaster resilient infrastructure. We will have to think about how we can make disaster-proof houses and buildings in the country with the help of technology. Large bridges get blown away in storms. We have just seen what happened in Uttarakhand. How do we develop such arrangements? Friends, Gurudev Tagore once said: “Getting your nation means realising your own soul in an extended way. When we start recreating our nation through thought, work and service, then only can we see our own soul in our nation.” Today, the country expects the entire IIT network, including Kharagpur, to expand its role. You already have a rich ecosystem for this. In fact, there is already a thrust on important innovations for Industry 4.0 here. You are making a lot of efforts for the transition of AI related academic research to the industrial level. IIT Kharagpur is doing commendable work in the Internet of Things and modern construction technology. Your software solutions are proving to be very useful to the country in its battle against Corona. Now you have to work fast for the futuristic solutions of the health tech. When I talk about health tech, I don’t just talk about gadgets like data, software and hardware, but an ecosystem. We have to give modern solutions from prevention to cure to the country. At this time of corona, we have seen how personal healthcare equipments have emerged as a huge market. Earlier, people kept thermometers and essential medicines in the houses, but they are now keeping equipment to check blood pressure, blood sugar, blood oxygen etc. in the house. There is a great demand for health and fitness equipment in homes. We also need to develop new solutions with the help of technology to provide personal healthcare equipment, which are affordable and give accurate information. Friends, India can become a major global player in science, technology, research and innovation in the global environment caused after corona. With this idea, the budget for this year’s science and research has also been increased significantly. The PM Research Fellows Scheme has also provided a new medium of research for the talented peers like you. The Start-up India mission will also help you in incubation of your ideas. A few days back, another important policy reform has been made, which I would particularly like to tell you. The government has freed the map and geospatial data from control. This move will greatly strengthen the tech startup ecosystem. The move will also intensify the campaign of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The move will give new freedom to the country’s young start-ups and Innovators. Friends, I am told that you actively participate in many social, cultural, sports and other activities in the Gymkhana. This is very important. Our focus should not be confined to our own expertise alone. There should be a comprehensive expansion of our knowledge and attitude. The new national education policy also has a vision of a multi-disciplinary approach. I am happy that IIT Kharagpur is already doing a better job in this regard. I would also congratulate IIT Kharagpur for one more thing. The way you are exploring your past, your ancient knowledge science as the strength of your future innovation, is truly commendable. You are also encouraging empirical study on the treasure of knowledge from Vedas to the Upanishads and other codes. I very much appreciate it. Friends, This year, India is heralding the 75th year of independence. For IIT Kharagpur, this year is also special because this place, where you practice, where you give a new dimension to life, has been associated with the great past of the freedom movement. The land has been a witness to the morality of the young martyrs of the movement, Tagore and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. I urge you to compile the 75 big innovations and solutions that have been developed by the IIT Kharagpur in the past. Take them to the country and the world. These inspirations of the past will give a new impetus to the country for years to come and give new confidence to the youth. You will continue to move forward with confidence and never forget the expectations of the country. The expectations of the country are your certificates today. These certificates are not just to be hung on the walls or part of the bio-data for your career. The certificate that you are getting today is a kind of charter of demands of the aspirations of the 130 crore country, a letter of confidence and a letter of assurance. I convey my best wishes to you on this auspicious occasion today. Your parents, who have a lot of expectations from you, and your teachers who have worked hard for you, will draw satisfaction from your efforts, dreams, resolutions and your journey. With this expectation, very good luck, thank you very much!!