The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, graced and addressed the 17th convocation of the Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha in New Delhi today (April 21, 2018).Speaking on the occasion, the President said that Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri was a national icon and an exemplar of simple living, sacrifice and virtue. He was an embodiment of Indian values, and associated with the founding of the Vidyapeetha. Students of this institution have the responsibility of imbibing his ideals in their everyday lives and spreading these in society. The President said that the main purpose of education should be to build character and make a person sensitive and empathetic. An educated person is one who has a sense of philanthropy and commitment to public interest.The President said the Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Sanskrit Vidyapeetha has established a healthy tradition of academics, research and publications in the past 55 years. He was happy that this Vidyapeetha has a modern science faculty and that students are studying contemporary topics like environmental sciences and human rights. He was also happy to note that there is a Centre for Computer Applications as well. He said modern technology should be used for the promotion of Sanskrit. In this context, he commended the efforts of the Vidyapeetha.