PM Modi Addresses Centenary Celebrations Of Visva-Bharati University: Highlights

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the centenary celebrations of Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan, West Bengal through video conferencing.

The Governor of West Bengal and Union Education Minister were also participate in the event.

Founded by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore in 1921, Visva-Bharati is also the oldest Central University in the country. In May 1951, Visva-Bharati was declared to be a Central University and an Institution of National Importance by an Act of Parliament.

The University followed the pedagogy devised by Gurudev Tagore, though gradually it evolved in the format in which modern Universities developed elsewhere. The Prime Minister is the Chancellor of the University, a Prime Minister's Office (PMO) release stated. 

Here are the highlights of PM Modi's address:

• Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore had started this great institution with the thought of education and knowledge for all. Today, as we celebrate 100 years of this prestigious institution, we take that thought forward to ensure a good education reaches all.
• It is a great honour for me to be able to speak at this historic event.
• I thank and congratulate each and every one who has contributed in making this institution a truly great one.
• Our nation is taking forward the message and teachings given at Visva-Bharati.
• Be it the international solar alliance or the Paris Climate accord, It is important to know that India is the only country in the world that is working at pace with the goals set in the Paris Climate Accord.
• The Bhakti Andolan era, spanning centuries, has given India immeasurable values and lessons to learn from and be inspired from.
• Bhakti Andolan brought us all together, then the Gyan Andolan gave us knowledge and finally the Karm Andolan helped us execute our plans to take the nation forward beginning with our struggle for independence.
• Be it Visva-Bharati University, Banaras Hindu University, Aligarh Muslim University, Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia University, Andhra University, Anna Malai University, and several others are premier institutions and came up around the same time, in the same era, and gave momentum to India's thirst for knowledge.
• And learning not just from what is happening in India, but India has always been open to learn from the world over. Take your University's name for example. That itself shows India's approach and views on education - Visva-Bharati - which joined Maa Bharati with the Visva (world) and we as a people have always pursued education and greatly valued it.
• Today, as more and more people are getting a good education, we now have to work to build a strong and wise nation - one that is self-reliant. We must take inspiration from all those who have contributed to making India great over the centuries and millennia. We must also keep in mind the India that our freedom fighters envisioned when they fought of our independence. And that is why we are now at the stage to create an Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).
• We must take India to the world, promote local to global. And to achieve that we need to first be vocal about local. I urge you all to promote local manufacturing and services.