The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the programme marking the 125th Founder’s Day celebration of ‘The Scindia School’ in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh today. During the programme, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the ‘Multipurpose sports complex’ in the school and presented the school’s annual awards to distinguished alumni and top achievers.  The Scindia School was established in 1897 and is atop the historic Gwalior Fort. The Prime Minister also released a commemorative postal stamp on the occasion. 

The Prime Minister paid floral tribute to the statue of Shivaji Maharaj. He also took a walkthrough of the exhibition showcased on the occasion. 

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister congratulated everyone on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of The Scindia School. He also congratulated the citizens on the occasion of the Foundation Day of Azad Hind Sarkar. The Prime Minister expressed gratitude for getting the opportunity to become part of the celebrations of the prestigious history of The Scindia School and the city of Gwalior. He mentioned Rishi Gwalipa, music maestro Tansen, Mahad Ji Scindia, Rajmata Vijaya Raje, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and said that the land of Gwalior has always produced those who become an inspiration for others. “It is the land of Nari Shakti and valour”, the Prime Minister said as he emphasized that it was on this land that Maharani Gangabai sold her jewellery to fund the Swaraj Hind Fauj. “Coming to Gwalior is always a delightful experience”, the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister also mentioned the contribution of the Scindia family to the preservation of the culture of India and Varanasi. He remembered several ghats constructed by the family in Kashi and contributions to BHU. He said that today’s development projects in Kashi must be a matter of satisfaction for the luminaries of the family. The Prime Minister also mentioned that Shri Jytiraditya Scindia is son in law of Gujarat and also mentioned the contribution of the Gaikawad family at his native place in Gujarat. 

The Prime Minister said that a dutiful person works for the welfare of the coming generations instead of for the momentary benefits. Emphasizing the long-term benefits of establishing educational institutions, the Prime Minister paid tributes to Maharaja Madho Rao I. Shri Modi also mentioned a lesser-known fact that the Maharaja also established a public transport system that is still functioning as DTC in Delhi. Prime Minister Modi also mentioned his initiative for water conservation and irrigation and informed that Harsi Dam is Asia’s largest mud dam even after 150 years. The Prime Minister said his vision teaches us to work for the long term and avoid shortcuts in every sphere of life. 

The Prime Minister highlighted the two options of working for immediate results or adopting a long-term approach when he assumed the role of Prime Minister of India in 2014. He underlined that the government decided to work with different time bands ranging from 2, 5, 8, 10, 15 and 20 years, and now that the government is close to completing 10 years, multiple pending decisions have been taken with the long-term approach. Shri Modi listed the achievements and mentioned the six-decade-old demand to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir, the four-decade-old demand to provide One Rank One Pension to ex-servicemen from the army, the four-decade-old demand for GST and Triple Talaq Law. He also mentioned the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam which was recently passed in the Parliament. Shri Modi underlined that these pending decisions would have been carried forward to the next generation if not for the present government which strives to create a positive atmosphere for the young generations with no shortage of opportunities. “Dream big and Achieve big”, the Prime Minister said to the students as he noted that The Scindia School also completes 150 years when India completes 100 years of independence. In the next 25 years, the Prime Minister said with confidence that the young generation will make India a developed nation. “I trust the youth and their capabilities”, the Prime Minister said and expressed the belief that the youth will accomplish the resolve taken by the nation. He reiterated that the next 25 years are as significant for the students as it is for India. “Every student of the Scindia School should strive to make India a Viksit Bharat, be it in the professional world or any other place”, he emphasized.

The Prime Minister said his interaction with Scindia School alumni has strengthened his belief in their capacity to fulfill the destiny of Viksit Bharat. He mentioned Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Radio legend Ameen Sayani, Meet brothers who presented Garba written by the Prime Minister, Salman Khan, and Singer Nitin Mukesh. 

The Prime Minister dwelled on the growing global profile of India. He mentioned the landing on the moon's South Pole and the successful organization of G20. He talked about India as the fastest-growing economy. India is number one in the adoption rate of fintech, real-time digital transactions and smartphone data consumption. He informed that India is number two in terms of the number of internet users and in mobile manufacturing. India has the third largest startup ecosystem and is the third largest energy consumer in the world. He mentioned India’s preparation for a space station and the successful Gaganyaan-related test done today itself. He also listed Tejas and INS Vikrant and said “Nothing is impossible for India”.  

Telling the students that the world is their oyster, the Prime Minister told them about the new avenues that have been opened for them including space and defence sectors. The Prime Minister asked the students to think outside of the box and reminded them how initiatives taken by the former railway minister Shri Madhavrao such as starting Shatabdi trains were not repeated till three decades and now the country is seeing Vande Bharat and Namo Bharat trains. 

The Prime Minister highlighted the name of the Houses in The Scindia School based on the resolutions of Swaraj and said that it is a huge source of inspiration. He mentioned Shivaji House, Mahad Ji House, Rano Ji House, Datta Ji House, Kanarkhed House, Nima Ji House and Madhav House and said that it is like the strength of the Sapt Rishis. Shri Modi also handed out 9 tasks to the students and listed them as follows: to run an awareness campaign for water security, create awareness about digital payments, strive to make Gwalior the cleanest city in India, promote Made in India products and adopt the approach of Vocal for Local, explore India and travel within the country before heading out to foreign nations, create awareness about natural farming among regional farmers, inculcate millets in daily diet, make sports, Yoga or any form of fitness an integral part of lifestyle, and lastly hand holding of at least one poor family. He stated that 13 crore people have come out of poverty in the last five years by following this path and

“Whatever India is doing today, it is doing it on a mega scale”, the Prime Minister remarked as he urged the students to think big about their dreams and resolutions. “Your dream is my resolution”, he said and suggested the students share their thoughts and ideas with him via the Namo app or connect with him on WhatsApp.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister said, “Scindia School is not just an institution but a legacy.” He said that the school has continuously carried forward the resolutions of Maharaj Madho Rao ji, both before and after independence. Shri Modi once again congratulated the students who were awarded a short while ago and conveyed his best wishes to Scindia School for a better future. 

Governor of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Mangubhai Patel, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Union Ministers, Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, Narendra Singh Tomar and Jitendra Singh were present on the occasion among others. 

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