The Vice President of India, M. Venakaiah Naidu has advised the Students of Planning and Architecture to create urban amenities in rural areas by providing facilities for people living in rural areas at an affordable cost. He asked authorities, Architects & Civil Engineers to adopt eco friendly approach while designing infrastructure with a perfect blend of modernity and tradition. He was addressing the 3rd Convocation of the School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh today. The Governor of Andhra Pradesh & Telangana, Shri E.S.L. Narasimhan, the Minister for Social Welfare and Empowerment, Andhra Pradesh, Shri Nakka Ananda Babu and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.The Vice President highlighted on the need to amalgamate tradition and technology to improve the built environment and said that one must work towards sustainable development and ensure that rural areas are not turned into concrete jungles.
The Vice President appreciated the SPA Vijayawada for maintaining standards at par with premier institutes like IITs and NITs and said that it is important that the institution sets its new benchmarks, high standards and create its own brand.The Vice President said that the role of Architects and Planners in 21st century is not limited to merely designing and giving shape to human settlements and buildings. He called on architects (Engineers) to be innovative and creative to meet the requirements of a fast-changing world in which digital technologies are playing a pivotal role in shaping every aspect of life.The Vice President advised students not to remain complacent and always aim at achieving excellence. You should become trendsetters in your field and become partners in India’s growth story, he added.Saying that leading scientific universities of the world not just focus on teaching, but also make efforts to become the nerve centres of innovation and incubation, the Vice President asked the institute to take steps to reach and touch the lives of masses. He also urged all students, faculty and the graduates to strive towards research and innovation.