Best ideas, best leaders should come from here: Modi at DU

Hundreds of students and teachers were present in the multiple hall, and the Prime Minister’s half-an-hour speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday attended the valedictory ceremony of Delhi University’s centenary celebrations and laid the foundation stone for three new buildings at the varsity.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the valedictory ceremony of the centenary celebrations of Delhi University on Friday. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

“The world’s best ideas and the world’s best leaders should come from here... For this, you need to work continuously. But in the middle of all this change, you don’t change completely. Some things should remain the same, such as Patel Chest ki chai in North Campus and Chanakya ke momos in South Campus,” Modi said during his address at the multipurpose hall of DU’s sports complex.

Modi said, “DU has completed 100 years at a time when India is celebrating 75 years of Independence. For any country, its educational institutions are a true reflection of its achievements. Delhi University has had many historical milestones in these 100 years... So many professors, students have been involved. In a way, Delhi University has been a movement, not just a university.”

“After 25 years, when the country completes 100 years of Independence, Delhi University will celebrate 125 years,” Modi said, adding that the goal is to build a developed India by 2047.

Hundreds of students and teachers were present in the multiple hall, and the Prime Minister’s half-an-hour speech was also virtually viewed thousands of DU students at their respective colleges.

Modi arrived at the university by using the Yellow Line of the Delhi Metro, boarding the train from the Lok Kalyan Marg Metro station at around 10.35 am and getting off at Vishwavidyalaya. During his speech, he alluded to his Metro ride, saying, “Today, just like you, I reached the campus via the Delhi Metro while chatting with my friends.”

Modi also spoke about the progress in the field of education made in the last few years, and noted that the gender ratio in colleges is improving rapidly. He also said that DU’s QS World University Ranking has risen rapidly over the years, and said that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, was implemented with the help of “collective efforts”.

Speaking about Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMSs), he said institutes are the “building blocks of new India”.

Two minutes before Modi entered the hall, the audience was asked to stand up. Once he arrived, he was met with chants of “Jai Shri Ram”.

The Prime Minister was welcomed by DU vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh, who said, “Today is special for two reasons — first, Delhi University has completed 100 years... in these 100 years, Delhi University reached every house in Delhi, every tehsil and every district of the country. The second reason is that Narendra Modi, who has taken the post of PM to new heights, is present with us today...”

Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was a special guest at the event, said, “Earlier, education meant degrees and degrees meant jobs. But now, students want more...”

After his speech, Modi viewed some exhibits set up by students in the basement of the multipurpose hall. Riya Pandey, who was at the Mars Rover stall set up by the Kirori Mal College robotics team, said, “The Prime Minister stopped here and asked us if it is actually capable of going to Mars, and we said yes. It was quite exciting.”

Rekha Mehrotra, a professor at Shaheed Rajguru College of Applied Sciences for Women, said Modi also stopped by at the microbiology department’s stall. “He stopped for a few seconds and looked at the button mushroom which students have grown on campus. The students have been quite excited.”