Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged graduating students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi to continuously learn, tackle complex challenges and align their careers with the country’s development goals as India moves towards becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’.
Addressing the 57th Convocation Ceremony of IIT Delhi, Modi said the graduates were stepping into a rapidly changing world where technological advances and geopolitical shifts would create both challenges and new opportunities.
Recalling his earlier virtual participation in an IIT Delhi convocation during the COVID-19 pandemic, PM Modi said it was special for him to be physically present on the campus with the graduating students.
“Sharing this incredible experience with you on this campus today is very special for me too,” he said.
Congratulating the students and their families, the Prime Minister said their degrees represented more than academic achievement and carried a responsibility to contribute to the country.
“You are stepping out from here with a dream of doing a lot for the country,” PM Modi said, while congratulating the medal winners and highlighting new artificial intelligence initiatives at the institute.
Reflecting on the students’ journey from orientation to convocation, PM Modi said they were likely thinking about their first salaries, startups, further studies, competitive examinations and other career opportunities.
He urged them to cherish their campus memories, including hostel rivalries involving Kumaon, Ara, Vindhy, Nilgiri, Kailash and Himadri, as well as local food favourites such as Jia Sarai’s poha and Satpura mess parathas.
“In the coming times when you will have massive responsibilities, the memories of this place will definitely energize you,” he said.
PM Modi also acknowledged the contribution of classmates, professors, mentors and support staff, saying they had become surrogate families for many students during their years at IIT Delhi.
“You will profoundly remember and be thankful for all these individuals in every future success of yours,” he said.
‘Those who keep learning will succeed’
Referring to rapid technological advancement and changes in the global strategic landscape, Modi said the pace of transformation was creating an era of both uncertainty and opportunity.
“Amidst all this rapid change, remember my words: the one who continuously learns is the one who will win,” he said.
The Prime Minister said an IIT degree should not be viewed merely as a pathway to a high CGPA or a lucrative placement but as recognition of the graduate’s ability to solve complex problems.
“Your degree tells the entire world that you know exactly how to solve highly difficult problems,” he said.
Drawing a parallel between academic challenges and real-life difficulties, PM Modi advised students to break large problems into smaller, manageable components.
“If difficulties inevitably come in life, entirely new opportunities will also emerge; you just have to remain completely alert,” he said.
He also cautioned graduates that, unlike academic examinations, many of life’s most important challenges would be “out of syllabus”. True success, he said, would come from identifying and solving problems that society had stopped questioning.
“The fundamental reason for the success of many alumni was that they boldly identified those crucial questions which the world had stopped considering as questions,” PM Modi said.
‘Align decisions with national needs’
Recalling the sacrifices made by earlier generations for India’s independence, PM Modi said each generation had its own defining responsibility.
He urged the graduates to use the next three decades of their professional lives to contribute to the country’s development.
“The basis of every decision of yours should absolutely be what the benefit to the country will be and which national need will be fulfilled,” he said.
Modi said empowering young people was central to building a ‘Viksit Bharat’ and highlighted policy initiatives aimed at opening new sectors to young innovators.
“The more empowered the youth of the country are, the more empowered the entire country will be,” he said.
Space, semiconductors, drones and startups
Highlighting the growth of India’s space sector following government reforms, Modi said young engineers were increasingly designing and launching rockets, creating opportunities in an area once dominated by a handful of countries.
“Today, that same Space Sector has beautifully become a sky of new opportunities for thousands of our youths,” he said.
He also pointed to the expansion of semiconductor manufacturing in India, noting that initial production facilities were already operational.
“Somewhere a youth is proudly saying with full self-confidence: ‘First in my bloodline to make a chip in India’,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister cited the drone sector as another area where young innovators were developing applications in agriculture, medical delivery and national defence.
He also credited the younger generation with driving India’s startup ecosystem, pointing to the growth of unicorns, digital payments and fintech as examples of new entrepreneurial opportunities.
“These revolutions have given millions of youths of the country an incredible opportunity to do something completely new for the first time,” he said.
Looking ahead, PM Modi identified artificial intelligence, data centres, critical minerals, deep-sea exploration, quantum computing and energy security as key areas where India would need young talent and innovation.
Push for research and innovation
PM Modi also outlined government initiatives aimed at strengthening research, including the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation, with a funding target of up to Rs 1 lakh crore for the research sector.
“Today the country desperately needs new research, and our administrative focus is equally and firmly on research,” he said.
He also highlighted the ‘One Nation One Subscription’ initiative, under which access to leading global research journals is being expanded to institutions across the country without additional costs.
PM Modi urged graduates to contribute to India’s research ecosystem, saying sustained progress would require their commitment and innovation.
‘Life is not a leaderboard’
The Prime Minister also cautioned students against comparing their salaries, placements or startup achievements with those of their peers, particularly in an era dominated by social media.
He encouraged them to focus on personal growth while prioritising their mental and physical well-being.
“Remember, life is absolutely not a leaderboard; your real race is not with anyone else, it is with yourself,” PM Modi said.
Concluding his address, the Prime Minister congratulated the graduating students, their parents, teachers and the institute’s support staff, and wished them success in their future endeavours.
“May your future be incredibly bright, and may you continuously and boldly touch new heights,” he said.
