President Ram Nath Kovind has urged the youth of the North-Eastern states to maintain and further improve their image of being excellent sportsmen and artists. Mentioning that there are many positive things contained in the traditional methods and culture of Meghalaya, the President said there is a lot to learn from the traditional systems like cleanliness, women empowerment and root bridges. He was addressing the 26th Convocation Ceremony of the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) in Shillong today.
President said that higher education is a privilege not available to many people in the world full of opportunities and challenges. He appealed them to help improve the condition of such underprivileged fellow citizens and called upon them to give back to the society in whatever way they can.
Mr Kovind said, the NEHU has emerged as a premier centre of learning. He was happy to note that besides imparting higher education in all the major disciplines, the university is also giving special emphasis on the development of this region which has a significant tribal population. He said that institutions of higher education like NEHU can be instruments of social and economic transformation. It can also help Meghalaya in achieving better ranking on Human Development Indices.
The President said that more than 80 per cent population of Meghalaya is dependent on agriculture. By helping improve agricultural productivity, NEHU can play a catalytic role in promoting socio-economic development of Meghalaya and the North-East. Students and teachers of NEHU’s departments of Rural Development and Agricultural Production, Agri-Business and Food Technology and Horticulture can help enhance farmers’ income.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that the nation belongs to the youth and it is them who have to take it forward. Acknowledging that the government’s role is limited, Sangma said that the economy can be driven by young minds with new innovation.
AIR correspondent reports that a total of 1,989 students in person and 12,513 in absentia were conferred degrees on this occasion which included 102 Ph.D., 18 M.Phil. along with 69 gold medals. The President also presented the Doctorate of Letters to Kanubhai Hasmukh Darji who is also a Padmashree Awardee from Gujarat and runs the Disabled Welfare Trust of India.
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