PM Narendra Modi asked the graduating IIT-Bombay students to innovate for India
The nation is proud of IITs and what they have achieved, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today as he addressed students at the convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay.
"Innovations and enterprise will be the foundation stone for making India a developed economy. A long-term sustainable technology-led economic growth is possible on this foundation," PM Modi said.
He was welcomed in Mumbai by Maharashtra Governor CV Rao, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, state BJP chief Raosaheb Patil-Danve, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar and other officials.
PM Modi asked the graduating IIT-Bombay students to innovate for India and humanity.
"Let us affirm that the best ideas will come from Indian laboratories and from Indian students. From mitigating climate change to ensuring better agricultural productivity, from cleaner energy to water conservation, from combating malnutrition to effective waste management," PM Modi said.
Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar was also present at the event.
The Prime Minister said India is now looked upon as a nursery of unicorn start-ups (worth more than $1 billion), for which one of the biggest sources of talent are the IITs.
"That India is emerging as the hub for start-ups shows the thirst for innovations... We must make India as the most attractive destination for innovations and enterprise," PM Modi added.
"We must build on this... It will not happen only through government efforts but by youngsters here... The best ideas come in their minds and not in government offices," PM Modi said.
Earlier, IIT-B conferred an honorary Doctor of Science on former alumnus, Romesh T Wadhvani, the founder-chairman of Symphony Technology Group in California, US.
PM Modi gave away gold medals to three top students of IIT-B and silver medals to 43 others in various categories.
Later, PM Modi inaugurated the building of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering and the Centre for Environmental Science and Engineering, at the IIT-B, that has been selected as one of the Institutions of Eminence by the government.
With inputs from agencies