Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today participated in the golden jubilee celebrations of Jaigopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Highlighting the profound spiritual significance of the day, the Prime Minister expressed his immense joy at visiting the holy land of Shiva and Shakti on the very first day of Navratri. He stated that experiencing the positive energy, excitement, and vibrant enthusiasm of the youth while meeting the devotees of Mother Saraswati made for an incredibly auspicious start to the festival."I can see the future of India in the eyes of all of you,” noted Shri Modi.

Recognizing the immense potential of the younger generation, the Prime Minister emphasized that today's youth possess a strong desire to become the driving force behind the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat’.  He stated that the new ideas and solutions required to achieve this national goal will ultimately shape not only the country's destiny but the future of the entire globe."Today, the world is looking for solutions, and you have the potential to provide those solutions,” asserted Shri Modi.

Encouraging the students to dream on a massive scale, the Prime Minister urged every youth to envision their future upon the vast canvas of infinite opportunities currently emerging across the nation. He expressed absolute confidence that this collective national dream is entirely within their grasp during this era of unprecedented possibility."Together, We Will Do It!” affirmed Shri Modi.

Recounting a deeply personal anecdote, the Prime Minister revealed the interesting inspiration behind his visit, recalling a meeting with Girija Amma and several children in Nagercoil a few months prior."Her profound dedication, self-confidence, and unwavering devotion towards the future of the country left an unprecedented impression on my mind,” remarked Shri Modi.

Fulfilling the promise made during that initial meeting, the Prime Minister shared that Girija Amma's warm affection and his own deep respect for the historic institution compelled him to accept her invitation to the golden jubilee celebration. "I extend my heartiest congratulations to the Vishwa Hindu Vidya Kendra and the entire Hindu Vidyalaya family for this magnificent journey of Fifty Years,” affirmed Shri Modi.

Tracing the institution's highly inspiring trajectory, the Prime Minister noted that the Vishwa Hindu Vidya Kendra began as a very small school in Chennai's 'West Mambalam' in 1975 with merely seven students and limited resources. He praised the founders for relying on their strong willpower and an unbreakable spirit of service to overcome initial hardships and drive the institution forward despite lacking modern facilities or a permanent building."That is why, despite every difficulty, this institution kept moving forward,” observed Shri Modi.

Highlighting the massive expansion born from those humble beginnings, the Prime Minister celebrated how that small initial effort evolved into a massive educational movement over the decades. He noted the impressive scale of the institution's current reach across the state."Today you have 15 institutions in different parts of Tamil Nadu,” noted Shri Modi.

Honoring the foundational figures of the institution, the Prime Minister respectfully remembered the crucial contributions of Shri Jaigopal Garodia in constructing the school's building. He extended his deep gratitude to all the teachers, staff, parents, and alumni who dedicated their lives to making the Hindu Vidyalaya journey a resounding success."Fifty years of dedication, fifty years of commitment, fifty years of shaping young lives,” remarked Shri Modi.

Praising the institution for successfully blending academic education with strong patriotic values, the Prime Minister recalled mentioning Girija Amma in his 'Mann Ki Baat' program for brilliantly inspiring children to save just one rupee daily for the nation's soldiers. He commended the incredible collective impact of thousands of children joining this resolution to successfully raise forty lakh rupees."Indeed, what an inspiring example!” affirmed Shri Modi.

Emphasizing the profound power of incremental efforts, the Prime Minister stated that small contributions can generate a massive positive impact on society. He praised the Hindu Vidyalaya family for actively cultivating a great legacy of values, whether through supporting the needy during natural disasters or actively participating in cleanliness drives."Even a small effort can create a very big impact,” observed Shri Modi.

Invoking ancient wisdom, the Prime Minister paid homage to the great saint Thiruvalluvar, emphasizing that his teachings hold immense contemporary relevance for today's students. He proudly shared a recent diplomatic interaction where he presented a Russian translation of the Thirukkural to President Putin."His teachings are very important for all of you students,” noted Shri Modi.

Elaborating on the timeless guidance of the Thirukkural, the Prime Minister praised the text as a wonderful compass for lifelong learners. He highlighted a famous Kural by Thiruvalluvar that stresses the absolute necessity of actively applying learned knowledge to one's daily life, calling it a vital lesson for the students."Along with learning something, it is also essential to adopt it in one's life,” affirmed Shri Modi.

Highlighting the deep cultural ties that bind the nation, the Prime Minister noted that the great poet Mahakavi Bharathiyar was profoundly influenced by the spiritual and national consciousness he experienced in Kashi. He encouraged the students to read and draw inspiration from the poet's expansive life and philosophy."The atmosphere of Kashi, filled with spiritual and national consciousness, had a deep impact on his thoughts,” observed Shri Modi.

Connecting his own parliamentary constituency to this shared heritage, the Prime Minister shared that the people of Kashi still fondly remember Mahakavi Bharathiyar today. He urged the youth to actively adopt the poet's famous mantra 'Achamillai, Achamillai' (Fearless, Fearless) to aggressively pursue their ideas and dreams."Dream big, think differently, and be fearless,” asserted Shri Modi.

Reflecting on his own life experiences, the Prime Minister explained that his deep understanding of the country was forged through extensive travel and learning directly from the people across different regions. He fondly recalled his participation in the Ekta Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir in the early 1990s, where his enduring acquaintance with Girija Amma first began."Since then this acquaintance of ours has remained,” remarked Shri Modi.

Expressing his profound personal connection to the state, the Prime Minister stated that his extensive travels allowed him to intimately understand and appreciate the vast diversity of the nation. "The love that exists in my life for the Tamil language and Tamil culture has also been born from these very experiences,” affirmed Shri Modi.

Encouraging the students to actively engage in national integration, the Prime Minister urged the youth to travel widely and proudly carry Tamil culture wherever they go. He advised them to share Tamil poetry, stories, and traditions while actively forging friendships with people from vastly different backgrounds to strengthen the unity of the nation."The unity of our nation is built by the friendships you make,” asserted Shri Modi.

Detailing the unprecedented structural changes transforming the nation's academic landscape, the Prime Minister highlighted the massive expansion of opportunities available to the new generation. He provided stark statistical evidence, noting that the number of universities in the country has surged from 750 in 2014 to over 1,300 today, while colleges have increased from 38,000 to over 52,000, alongside the establishment of numerous new IITs, IIMs, IIITs, and AIIMS."The entire landscape of education in the country is changing today,” noted Shri Modi.

Underscoring the qualitative improvements driven by the new education policy, the Prime Minister celebrated the rapidly growing global recognition of domestic institutions. He pointed out that the number of Indian universities featured in the QS Rankings has dramatically increased from just 14 in 2015 to 52 in the latest rankings, directly resulting in vastly expanded choices for students."More institutions, more choices, and more opportunities for you,” affirmed Shri Modi.

Addressing the diverse aspirations of the youth, the Prime Minister acknowledged that many students wish to pursue non-traditional careers, particularly in sports. He assured them that the country is actively building new sports infrastructure and providing better training and support to ensure sports is treated as a viable profession rather than mere entertainment, which is already raising the nation's stature internationally."Young athletes are getting better training and support,” noted Shri Modi.

Outlining highly ambitious national sporting goals, the Prime Minister announced that the country is aggressively preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and is advancing with the grand dream of hosting the 2036 Olympics. He declared that with the upcoming influx of massive global sporting events, the youth now possess the ultimate platform, the potential, and the full backing of the state."The opportunities are endless, and I am confident your generation will take India to new heights in the world of sports as well,” asserted Shri Modi.

Expressing his confidence in the younger generation, the Prime Minister stated that engaging with the students and feeling their vibrant dreams had significantly strengthened his belief in a glorious national future. He declared the youth to be the ultimate heroes who will shape and define the coming era."The future of India will be very glorious, and the biggest heroes of that future are you,” affirmed Shri Modi.

Reaffirming his absolute trust in their capabilities, the Prime Minister praised the immense talent, confidence, and capability of the students present. He invited the gathered youth to join him in making some massive, historic national resolutions."Today I want to reiterate some big resolutions with all of you,” remarked Shri Modi.

Concluding his address with a highly interactive and energetic pledge, the Prime Minister led the massive crowd in a resounding chant of "We will Do it!" to commit to a series of grand national goals. He urged the youth to fiercely dedicate themselves to building a Developed India by 2047, becoming a top-three global economy, establishing a self-reliant global manufacturing hub, hosting the Olympics, and placing an Indian on the moon.

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MJPS/SS/PRK