We have today, friends, Army Day. I take this opportunity to reflect that it is time for us to honour the unwavering courage and sacrifices of our soldiers who have safeguarded our nation's freedom. Their dedication and resilience remind us of the truer sense of patriotism and selfless service and our veterans are our precious, priceless human resource. We need to accord our highest regard to our veterans as they are the moral spine of our serving forces.

Friends, I seek to avail the occasion to pay my respects to Guru Ghasidas, whose name in one sense is immortalised through this institution. Guru Ghasidas embodied the spirit of unity, inclusivity and equality among all. It is due to Gurus like him, the social-cultural character of this belt has remained unaltered. He is a true national icon in our rich cultural tradition.

 Friends, our Bharat, home to one sixth of humanity, is blessed to have a galaxy of national heroes like him. We have icons in Maharishi Valmiki, Bhagwan Birsa Munda, Sant Ravidas, Jyotiba Phule, to name just a few. Each of them stands as a tall pillar upon which the society's edifice stands.

 Friends, these illustrious gurus are our authentic icons, a source of inspiration and motivation for us all. We need to practice their teachings. That will be wholesome for the entire society and us as well. Their contributions to the nation's socio-cultural fabric remained for too long a period, not well appreciated, underappreciated. However, a big change came in Amrit Kaal. In mission mode, an effort has been made and very successfully to remember these iconic figures. Some of them remained unsung, some of them remained not well-so sung, but now we are availing every opportunity to recognise their contributions to our culture and also to our journey for freedom.

 It is soothing that their position in the nation's collective consciousness is now being recognised, rekindled and reclaimed.

 Friends, it is concerning that the wholesome thought processes of inclusivity for which they stood, for which they lived, which they propagated is so to be challenged by some who seek to disrupt organic societal stability by offering allurements to effect conversions. This is repulsive to the grain of our civilizational ethos. This is antithetical to our constitutional essence and spirit. It wrongly tampers the valuable right of freedom which we enjoy. Nothing can be more serious, friends, than that these misadventures emanate from an evolved strategy to upset organic demographic equilibrium. We need to rebuff, resist, and neutralise these nefarious designs as these have a pernicious potential to emerge as existential challenges to our inclusiveness and civilizational wealth.

 For graduating students and their families, this is a day of celebration. This is a day of reflection. It is a milestone for students, their parents and faculty members, as also the Institution.

 To the graduates, you worked hard for it. You had many troubled times. Late hours, you persevered. You waited for this day, the day has come. Obviously, it's a very satisfying moment for you and, in a sense, a game-changer in your political, economic, and social journey. I have emphasized in particular the word political because in democracy, this has a deeper connotation, and we expect those in politics, in positions of power, those under oath to observe highest standards because they shape the policy of the nation.

 As I look at you graduates, I imagine the countless hours that you spent and now you are walking into the larger domain.

 And let me tell you, you will have to think now. Your learning is never going to end today. Learning is lifelong. You will have to learn every moment. But we are walking in a larger space today, with an ecosystem which eluded my generation. You are fortunate to be passing out of such a great university and you are equally fortunate to be getting into the larger world where you will find an ecosystem that will be affirmative for you.

 Chhattisgarh is a great state and its transformation from a developing state to a hub of opportunities showcases the power of focused development and determined leadership. Education is at the heart of this transformation. I am proud that youth of Chhattisgarh, whether they are from cities, or remote tribal belt of the state can now benefit from institutes of eminence in every walk of life. Chhattisgarh now has AIIMS, IIT, IIIT, IIM and institutes in law. Just imagine what a change for the better in the education landscape of the state.

 Friends, let us take pride. No nation in the world has grown as fast as Bharat in the last few years. The Indian economy has sustained the globally challenging scenario in high growth unlike other nations. Our progress has been the envy of the world. When the world reeled under depression and stagflation, we have continued to be the bright spot in the global economic landscape. For most part of the last decade, we have retained the tag of the fastest growing major economy.

 Friends, what a journey we have traversed against difficult headwinds, challenges, terrain, and we are now the fifth largest global economy on the way to becoming the third.

 Our prosperity is not concentrated in a few urban pockets. And this is a unique feature that has dotted the governance mechanism in the last few years. Now there is deep focus and the focus has been very successful and rewarding for last mile delivery of public services and benefits.

 You need to notice that startups are now springing not from metros only. They are springing also from Tier 2, Tier 3 cities. We are the largest third in number when it comes to global ecosystem.

The component that has done it is boys and girls like you. You have brought it about. The world is accolading us because boys and girls like you who stepped out of universities and institutions have done this.

 The foundation of our growth lies in inclusiveness. That's our cultural heritage. That is our civilizational essence. And look at the nature of our inclusiveness. From Jan Dhan accounts to digital infrastructure, from rural electrification to pipe water connections, from affordable housing to health care coverage, development has reached the last mile in a country of 1.4 billion. Such accomplishments are not easy. The challenge was Himalayan. It was successfully overcome. And all these benefits, dear students, and distinguished audience, is driven by equality, equity, and fairness. All these benefits are non-discriminatory. Every segment of the populace has benefited from these developments.

 Friends, India is also a Democracy that delivers development. Development has been the main keyword of governance in the last few years. Infrastructure in India is expanding rapidly and just to illustrate, 4 new Airports and 1 Metro System every year, that is the scale of achievement we are having.

 When it comes to our daily achievements, we have 14 kilometres of highways and 6 kilometres of railways being added on a daily basis. Friends, there was a time when we looked from a distance, a Metro system. My generation thought when will it come to India, if at all. But look at the scenario now. The contemporary scene is India's urban transit covers through metro rail now, that includes 1000 kilometres across 11 States and 23 cities. We have surpassed Japan and there will be a time in the near future when India will be the second largest metro in terms of coverage.

 The basket of opportunity for our youth has expanded exponentially. I would like you boys and girls to focus on that. Good governance is fueling newer ambitions. Your generation is now imbued with one attitude and that is can do. You don't have to think a second time. Can do attitude, should be your attitude because there is affirmative governance, hand-holding policies that will overcome all hurdles that used to be there earlier to fructify an idea that may occur to you.

 I urge the university management to particularly focus and make our young boys and girls aware of the new vistas of opportunities. Get them deep into the opportunity basket that is ballooning larger day by day. We have opportunities now right from blue economy to space economy and that has to be in your attention. You have to look around, don't confine only to government jobs as a menu. Look beyond and you will find growth opportunities for you very attractive.

 Your role extends beyond professional success. You can't limit yourself to your success. You are citizens of a great nation - Bharat. You are the ambassadors of New India. Challenges, distorted narratives and many are coming. Day in and day out we find narratives aimed at destroying our civilizational fabric, tainting our Institutions, demeaning our constitutional offices. In such situations, you have to rise to the occasion with power of truth, power of ground realization which you have noticed. You have to meet them with the power and strength of accomplishments which you see all around.

 This state is blessed with mineral wealth. When I look around, iron ore of Bastar, coal of Korba, bauxite of Mainpat, just to name a few, and these are live blood of India's industrial development today. Fifteen percent of India's steel requirements are made from your state.

 Some concerted efforts will be required to convert mineral wealth to highest levels of collective prosperity. We have noticed, boys and girls, wherever there is mineral wealth, we see the rise of people, industries, billionaires. But a new facet has to be there, and that I put it as collective prosperity.

 It would be travesty if this wealth benefits only a handful, leaving out the vast majority of this state's citizens. The Hon'ble Chief Minister will have to focus to make it obligatory that there is a collective prosperity, and it is not confined to some individuals or corporates. Efficient management and allocation of collective wealth would require our utmost attention. There should be prosperity emanating from the actions of Corporates, Public Sector Undertakings that benefit from mineral wealth. The tribal welfare must be integrated as an important component of their functioning.

 Friends, Naxalism remains a biggest hurdle to development, particularly to the tribal people. This affects lives adversely. I'm happy to note that serious efforts have been made in the country for the last few years.

 In your state also good efforts have been made, with numerous Naxalites being neutralised, arrested, or surrendering. But this does require the concern of every citizen also, because there is no place for Naxalism in a country witnessing unprecedented development. And the development that is happening at the moment is common man-centric.

 It is centric to marginalised sections of society, vulnerable segments of society. When such is the policy in action, when such are the results on ground, there can be no space for Naxalism. The government has evolved a good policy, and the state of Chhattisgarh is executing it remarkably well. Three Cs, Road connectivity, Mobile connectivity, and financial connectivity is bearing fruits, transforming lives and creating new pathways to progress.

 But whenever there is such a kind of progress that impacts the people instantly, there are sinister forces that seek to defeat these good gestures. And I'm sure the State government will be alive to ensure that there is nothing but 100% success of such kind of positive efforts.

 I call upon everyone to focus on these areas as our tribal people are our great cultural resource, human resource. When I see them as artists, as lawyers, as sports persons, one is wonderstruck at their commitment. They are the finest human beings. I am sure if we focus on our tribal populace blossoming, the Nation will enormously gain.

 A new Bharat is taking place at the moment when the entire world is accolading it. The entire world is taking initiative. And therefore, I call upon you that now there is ease of aspiring and dreaming and there is full possibility of your dreams fructifying.

 Graduating students, as you step into new roles as professionals, entrepreneurs or researchers, remember that success is not measured by personal achievement alone. It has to have a positive impact on society. The education you have received here is a foundation, a launching pad but ultimately you will have to make success of it.

 You cannot always succeed. It has to be a mixed game. You must learn to face these challenges. Failure and success will go hand in hand in the real world. And there are no easy shortcuts. You would not find a single success story that is not attended by bouts of failure or even repeated bouts of failure. Chandrayaan 3 is one such instance. Learn to face failures, learn to learn from such failures.

In conclusion, my young friends, I would like to say the education you have received here is a privilege.

 The name of the University will lifelong fire you with a zeal to contribute to society. You have to believe in yourself for the power that you can change what you want. The journey ahead will not always be easy, but have it from me. In our Bharat, it is worth it. As you embark on this new chapter, may you find joy not just in personal achievements, but in the positive impact you create for those around you.

 I leave you with a thought. When you go out, examine the opportunity basket around you, and you will find you need not move away from your main center to generate the difference for you, for the society, for the state and for the country. And always my young friends, keep the interest of the nation first.

 Your belief in nationalism cannot be anything but 100 percent. You have to give 100 percent to your country and no interest, personal or otherwise, can override national interest.

 I wish you well in your journey and I take the opportunity to request the Vice-Chancellor that I would be happy to receive a group of your students as my guests at the Indian Parliament.

JK/RC/SM

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