Good evening, all of you.

You are from Harvard, you know one has to be very focused. It is from your institute the world has learned to forge and propel leaders to the next summit, elevating both organizations and individuals to new heights. Your learning is transformative for the good reason that you have a global perspective by virtue of global human resource being there. I welcome you to the Vice President's Enclave.

 You come from an institution that has global recognition. I do have in Rajya Sabha some who have been alumnus of Harvardb but we are living in tough times, and we find change is taking place. Long before Socrates, Heraclitus said, the only constant in life is the change. He buttressed it by an illustration that the same person cannot be in the same river twice, because neither the person is the same nor the river is the same. The choice to young persons is now very clear. It's a writing on the wall, lead the change. Embrace it or risk being swept aside by unstoppable force.

 Most of you have come from several nationalities but if I speak in terms of democracy then India is mother of democracy. India is the oldest democracy, United States is the most developed democracy. These two situations are known and global order, rule-based order can prosper only when democracies converge. If democracies do not converge, other forces will take over. Therefore, I am of firm belief that education is the most impactful convenience of transformative change. A change that brings about equality, a change that decimates inequities, a change that defines progress of the humanity and quality education is very different.

 India took great pride earlier, we had the world's best institutions Nalanda, Takshila. People from all over the world flocked here. They brought with them their own wisdom, their experiences, their exposure and gained from this country also. We lost track somewhere in between because of invasions but now we are back on rails, we are back to the groove. India is now witnessing a development in every walk of life, including education which is not happening in the world. You are established, your Ivy Leagues are established. You have a reputation to defend. It's a tough challenge these days, we cannot rest on laurels now.

Let us take, for instance, the United States, it was taken to be land of opportunity. Still it is. 

I recollect my days when in Silicon Valley or other places where corporates existed, vibrantly Indian footprint was not there but look at the big change that has taken place. There is hardly a global outfit at international level or a global corporate of consequence that does not have at its apex level an Indian genius, because this is a country that has consistently believed in certain principles. After all, which other country can rival India's position of having civilizational depth of 5,000 years? During these five thousand years, it is just not track record in terms of centuries or millennium. We have had gold mine of knowledge and wisdom, Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, our epics Ramayana, Mahabharata. We have discourse in Gita. Therefore, I can say without hesitation, India is cultural nerve center of the planet. 

But the best that has happened in this century to the entire planet is India's phenomenal growth. No country has grown in the last 10 years as much as India, home to one sixth of humanity, has done and that augurs well for the entire world. 

If you will find some essence in our democracy, you will find diversity. You will find different points of view, you will find points of view that can't be reconciled but all these ultimately converge in unity. 

The largest democracy stands out an example to the entire world for swift, seamless transfer of power after elections. In this country, there is no murmur. If election verdict is out, there are no questions raised, because it is transparent, it is accountable 

The gentleman sitting here, a senior bureaucrat, got three elections conducted in the state of West Bengal. 2011 was a watershed, a party that was in power for more than three decades with a strong ideology, the left yielded power through electoral process to another outfit led by a lady, Mamata Banerjee, transition was smooth. 

When it came to 2014 before that country had seen coalition governance. Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Prime Minister Modi, was in the reckoning in 2014. Majority on its own transition was complete so, what you get from outside is not what India is. Misinformation, disinformation about India. It is generated in a strategised manner to subserve some interests by forces that are inimical, I would say, not to India but to democratic process. 

Let me tell you boys and girls, all your life you'll be known as the Alumni of Harvard, and this is one university where the fund is, I think, about more than 50 billion US dollars, maybe 55-56. I keep on telling everyone in my country that we have to draw some lessons, because many of an Institution are a think tank, a reservoir, to keep you going. But as I said, I reiterate, even the very best of the best have to be 24x7 alert, and that alertness has to come because when you are in a river, to be at the same place, you'll have to move your feet otherwise you'll be swept.

 There is emergence in my country, boys and girls, of Institutions that rival the best in the world. Our IITs, Indian Institute of Technology, our IIMs, Indian Institute of Management, our outfits in medical, they make us proud but I am sometimes pained, that even in institutions of great repute in the world, I don't want to name any, they become nerve center of a narrative that in India, admissions are accorded, not on merit.

You all have to reflect, India is a country that on a global horizon at the moment believes in rule of law, equality before law, transparent accountable governance. Nothing happens on patronage now, patronage is not a password for any opportunity or any contract. We are,

I would say, amongst the front nations in the world, who are contributing to transparency, respect for human rights, I therefore sometimes get worried when Institutions of repute fall prey to these orchestrated narratives.

 India is a country that will soon have more than one-third representation of human in Parliament and Legislatures because one-third is reserved horizontally and vertically. Our concept of Social Justice, non-discriminatory approach emanates much before we had our Constitution. These are exemplified day in and day out. I would therefore strongly appeal to you, look around, see the difference. Get into the value system and you'll find globally a big change is taking place in this Country.

 If I have to tell you what has happened recently that makes India so distinct. IMF I have seen, but look at the World Bank. The World Bank says when it comes to digitisation, technological penetration, India, a nation of 1.4 billion people, is role model for others. I don't want to take you to statistics, but measure societal growth on any parameter you will find upliftment. I come from a village and I know now my village has 5G connectivity. It is connected by good highways, we have potable water, every house has a toilet, 24x7 energy. India is fast adapting to renewable energy. No wonder International Solar Alliance Headquarters is in India.

 India is a nation that is showing example to the world to live in togetherness, live in harmony. India practices what it advises. Let's take yoga, Prime Minister of India took the initiative. The entire world conversed and now, humanity is being benefited by yoga. When it came to serving farmers at a global level, Prime Minister gave a clarion call for millets. Things are being defined

 Boys and girls, you are in a country where people have flocked to get enlightenment. People come here to get solace, peace of mind. I said it's a spiritual center of the world. You are at a time when a great historical event is taking place. An event the scale of which baffles anyone. 400 million people will congregate, driven by spirituality and religiosity, on the banks of a river to take holy dip just in a few weeks. In that time, such kind of a congregation, its organisation, the challenges which are enormous, hygiene, medical, everything taken care of, that is the scale at which this country is working at the moment. 

When we landed our Chandrayaan-3, people did not recognize one aspect. India became the only country in the world to land on the south pole of the moon. We had that accomplishment. I am putting all these things to you with utmost constraint at my command, in modesty, because he is one of you. For your entire journey, we'll carry a label, a label that will make you different because you become different by being part of an institution like Harvard but then...even the very best have to introspect. 

Some believe, our IITs and IIMs are driven by patronage, upper caste. I come from OBC, a Backward Community, President of the country is a Tribal woman. Prime Minister is from a Backward Community not that we wish to divide this society on these parameters, but my emphasis is that the development that is taking place in this country requires a fair assessment, a fair calibration, a fair appreciation, a fair understanding. Look around. 

You'll find my statement vindicated, this country has never believed in expansion at no time of history, we have only absorbed the, received with open arms. I wonder sometimes why in an Institute like yours there is no debate. How can one-sixth of humanity, that is India-a vibrant democratic nation. Democracy at all levels is not a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council that should be agitating your minds. 

You must be reflecting on occasions why India is a Nation that is first responder when it comes to crisis, Earthquake or diseases, COVID is one illustration. Battling COVID for 1.3 billion people then, we rendered assistance to 100 countries. When it came to evacuation from War-torn areas, our country provided succour to those students who are from other countries so that they can go there, take a safe route. We stand for Peace, we stand for harmony, we stand for Universal good and when it comes to existential challenge, climate change, for the centuries we have been telling the world how to do it. Now we know it is falling. 

We are cliffhanging. We are in a difficult terrain, something will have to be done. India is a natural ally to all Democratic forces in the world and Institutions of eminence like yours. An institution of great reputation must be sensitive when it comes to dealing with narratives of the largest Democracy. 

If you look around, there is no democracy that matches India's. No democracy that believes in growth of the individual, empowering the individual, allowing the individual to exploit his or her prowess, talent, potential to be on one's feet. I don't want to take more time.

 All of you are very intelligent people, I was only trying to indicate to you that the U.S. is a very large country, great economy, but people have to appreciate an institution like yours. In just a decade, India took a double jump, getting its economy from two trillion U.S. dollars to four trillion U.S. dollars. It is there, we have transformed our education system. Look at where we have reached.

 Boys and Girls, let me give out some statistics. We are building every day 14 kilometers of highways, world class highways, you would have seen them. If you have not seen them, you will see them. Six kilometers of railway track every day, every year, we are adding four new airports. Every year, we are adding one metro and this year we have crossed. We are ahead of Japan, when it comes to the length of metro line, we are across 1000. 

Boys and girls by virtue of your quality education, by virtue of you being from Harvard, you will always be looked differently because you have capacity and potential to make the difference. While engaging into that activity, I urge you to be extremely discerning about what is happening in this country. If you look around this country, you'll find. It stands out for nurturing of democratic values, blossoming of human rights, a role model for rule of law. 

I understand you are also going at the moment to visit the new building of Parliament. Am I right? Just keep one thing in mind. It showcases 5,000 years of Indian civilizational depth. If you notice a QR code, get into it and take note, in the face of COVID challenge, this came up in less than 30 months, not the building alone. A functional building came into being. You must have in this country which you will have for sure.

 You will carry fond memories. I am grateful to Ajay Hinduja, he took the initiative. I was delighted that I could get an occasion to connect with brilliant people like you.