Students must utilize their knowledge to make India Atmanirbhar: Nitin Gadkari

GUWAHATI: Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal attended the 18th Convocation of Assam University at Silchar on Friday. On the occasion, degrees were conferred upon candidates who passed the examinations in the year 2018, 2019 along with degrees of certain streams for the year 2020.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari while addressing as chief guest at the convocation termed knowledge as power and urged the graduating students to transform this power into worthy resources. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi aimed at making India a 5 trillion-dollar economy and to realize this vision, meritorious students would have to utilize their knowledge as a recognizable force for economic transformation," he said.

Underlining the vast potential and possibilities of the State, the Union Minister made a call to the graduates to commit themselves to channelize these resources strengthening the State's economy. Further saying that MSME sector constitutes 30 percent of the GDP, Gadkari urged the graduates to opt for entrepreneurship to create jobs and make themselves self-sufficient. He also advocated for innovation to give an impetus to socio-economic development and upliftment of the downtrodden. He also called on the students, who received degrees at the convocation, to dedicate themselves towards achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of an Atmanirbhar India while contributing in the progress of Assam.

Speaking at the programme, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal threw light on the doors of opportunities opened by the implementation of the Act East Policy for Assam and NE and he urged the degree recipient students to work hard for taking advantage of those opportunities to develop the state and the country. He dwelt on the importance of becoming best possible human resource to capture the 8 million people market of ASEAN and BBN countries while invoking Prime Minister Modi's thrust to harness the youth power of the country and calling on the youth to stay relevant for the future through skill development.

He also extended his greetings to the people on the occasion of Christmas and spoke about the Good Governance Day being observed all over the country today synchronizing with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birth anniversary. Terming Assam University as the result of the Assam Accord, he paid rich tributes to the martyrs of Assam Movement. He hoped that the university, which was established in 1994, would continue to explore newer horizons in the education sector of the state as it has always been playing a pivotal role in shaping quality human resource for the society.

Union MoS of Food Processing Rameswar Teli, Forest and Environment Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, MP Dr. Rajdweep Roy, VC of Assam University Prof. Dilip Chandra Nath along with several other dignitaries were present on the occasion, stated a press release.

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