New Delhi, Dec 28: Stating that the youths have ability to face any challenge, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said India has the potential to become a superpower and it needs significant achievements in the fields of education, health and industry.
Speaking at the virtual convocation ceremony of IIM-Ranchi, Mr Singh said, “We want to make India a superpower. To make the country a superpower, we need even bigger achievements in the fields of education, health and industry, etc. The potential in these areas is within our country. It is not yet fully utilised.”
“When we talk about making India a superpower, then we also have to take care of the development potential in all the states of the country,” he added.
During his address he talked about India’s glorious history including major discoveries by ancient scientists like Aryabhata ahead of their western counterparts.
Talking about country’s rich contribution in the field of scientific research in the classical age of Indian mathematics and astronomy and noted that “Aryabhata confirmed the round shape of the Earth and its rotation on its axis about 1,000 years before famous German astronomer Copernicus did.”
The defence minister said the youth of the country has the ability to face any challenge and can turn them into opportunities with the help of “invention, innovation and ideas”.
Encouraging students to play a key role in making of a ‘New India’, he said modern education should not deter them from taking inspiration from the country’s glorious history, adding it set new standards of knowledge and discovery for centuries in the fields of physics, social science, spiritual knowledge and economics.
“Modern education should not be a hurdle in taking inspiration from your glorious past. Just like studying science does not mean that you do not believe in God,” Mr Singh said.
Urging students to work towards nation-building, the defence minister cited the contributions of renowned ancient Indian scientists and said, “no success is final and no failure is fatal.”
“India has been a witness to a long tradition of scientists from Aryabhata, Varahamihir, Brahmagupta, Bodhayan, Charak, Sushruta, Nagarjuna to Sawai Jai Singh,” said Singh.
“Before Isaac Newton, Brahmagupta had confirmed the law of gravitational force. It is a different matter that Western scientists got credit for all these discoveries for some reason,” he said.
The defence minister said the list of India’s achievements in science is very long, at the same time added that the country was not behind in other fields like economics, history, political science and public administration.
“Today, when we are all working for the creation of New India, it is important for all of us to understand our heritage,” he said.