The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu has asked educational institutions to encourage students to visit rural areas to have a firsthand understanding of the problems faced by people living in villages and said that understanding the rural India will enable them to come out with innovative solutions to the problems faced by people. He was addressing the convocation of The ICFAI University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand today. The Governor of Uttarakhand, Shri Krishan Kant Paul, the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Shri Trivender Singh Rawat and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.The Vice President asked the students to take active part in social activities like Swachh Bharat and develop a national outlook and students should develop social consciousness. He described nationalism as serving the poorest of the poor, the depressed and oppressed.
The Vice President said that India has now become the sixth largest economy in the world and is an attractive destination for foreign investments. There will be enormous opportunities for the youth and the country should take full advantage of the demographic potential, he added.The Vice President said that education is the single most important element in converting our young population into national assets. If the young generation of our nation is empowered, it will constitute a very strong and productive workforce to tackle the challenges like global warming, urban migration, shortage of drinking water, polluted air and fuel inefficient transportation, he added.Expressing his concern over the decline in moral values and ethics, the Vice President advised students to always abide by the rules. He asked the students to aim for excellence and efficiency and not settle for mediocrity and ordinary approach. Use the knowledge and skills you acquire to go further, transform your world and the world of people around you, he added.