‘Ravan was more knowledgeable than Ram, but..’: Rajnath Singh in Udupi

Union defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday set foot in Udupi's Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) for a convocation ceremony, where he said Ravan was more knowledgeable than Ram, but people worship Ram more, as he was wiser.

Published on: Nov 18, 2022, 18:17:24 IST

By Yamini C S | Edited by Poulomi Ghosh

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Union defence minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Karnataka's Udupi on Friday to address the convocation ceremony of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). He is also set to inaugurate a new building of the institute, the Manipal School of Architecture and Planning.

Rajnath Singh attended a convocation ceremony and is also set to inaugurate a new building of the institute.

Singh announced his schedule for the day on Twitter, writing, “Tomorrow, 18th November, I shall be in Udupi, Karnataka to attend the Convocation ceremony of Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Looking forward to interact with the students of the Academy.”

The defence minister was invited as the chief guest of the event, while lieutenant general Dr Madhuri Kanitkar, the vice chancellor of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences in Nashik, was the guest of honour.

READ | Rajnath Singh takes stock of ongoing work at Alamnagar railway station in Lucknow

Singh started off his speech with appreciation towards the land of Karnataka by saying it has given the country many great personalities, naming Akka Maha Devi, Kanakadasa, Madhwacharya and K M Kariappa to be some of them. He also praised the institution, MAHE, for claiming a reputable place in the field of education, both within the country and even internationally.

Singh recalled his experiences as a student activist with the ADVP and then as a Physics teacher, and said that the field of education has personally been dear to him. He also spoke of the importance of wisdom along with knowledge and gave an example that even though Ravan was more knowledgeable than Ram, Ram is remembered and worshipped by people for his wisdom.

READ | India no longer weak, proved its prowess, preparedness time and again: Rajnath

He then emphasised that education frees those who are bound by limitations, whether it is incapacity, inequality or injustice. He finished off by recounting the great inventions and discoveries in science, mathematics, philosophy and other fields in Indian history, and praised the contribution of the nation in the present world.

As the defence minister, he also touched upon the recent steps taken by the ministry to curb terrorism and said that India knows how to defend itself.

A. Bharat Bhushan Babu, the principal spokesperson of the ministry of defence, shared Singh's speech live on Twitter.

“Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh addressing the gathering at the Convocation ceremony of Manipal Academy of Higher Education in Udupi, Karnataka, today. Click here to watch LIVE,” he wrote.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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