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Guwahati: Former
president APJ Abdul Kalam Friday appealed to the graduates of the
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) to get themselves
ready for future challenges so that India could be transformed
into a developed nation.
"As you are aware, the nation is going through a difficult
economic phase due to the current international economic
situation. In spite of this, India has the potential to come out
of difficult situations because of its inherent strengths. These
are the purchasing power of 400 million middle class citizens and
600 million youth who are willing to take up challenging
missions," Kalam said while delivering the 14th convocation
address of the IITG in north Guwahati.
He also stressed on development of technologically superior
sustainable systems to achieve the goal of transforming India into
a developed nation. "The demand of the 21st century is the new age
model where science, technology and environment will have to go
together. Thus the new model would be a four-dimensional bio-nano-info-eco
based," he said.
Kalam also said that the key requirement for achieving the
distinctive profile of the nation is by creating sustainable
enterprise-driven models at the rural level. "One such system
which I suggest is PURA (Providing Urban amenities in Rural
Areas). It is the creation of physical, electronic, knowledge
connectivities leading to electronic connectivity of rural
regions. With this combined and planned intervention of
infrastructure, digital technology, information and enterprise, we
can select a cluster of about 20 to 50 villages, which share core
competencies and empower those using local enterprise," he said.
The former president also suggested that the IITG pursue
implementation of one such PURA complex covering around 50 to 100
villages on the outskirts of Guwahati utilizing the potential of
the youth of the institution. "This PURA will be called IITG PURA,
which would empower local villages in this region. IITG PURA will
facilitate faculty and students for an intensive programme in
social transformation of entrepreneurship," said Kalam.
The former president also stressed upon re-designing of the
education system to ensure the generation of large numbers of
employment generators and not employment seekers.
He also stressed on having inter-disciplinary projects in
institutions like the IITG and suggested that the programme on
entrepreneurship generation, hydropower, and making the
northeastern states carbon-neutral can all become
inter-disciplinary projects for future batches.
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