Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asserted that he wanted India to re-emerge as the world’s “most prominent knowledge centre” with an “advanced and research-oriented” higher education system.
Modi, while inaugurating the new Nalanda University campus here, called upon students to always remain curious and courageous.
The varsity is named after the world-renowned ancient seat of higher learning, which was razed by invading armies in the 12th century.
The PM said Nalanda bore testimony to the fact that “knowledge cannot be destroyed by fire”, and that India was looking forward to playing its role in the 21st century, “which belongs to Asia”, by becoming a developed country by 2047.
He underscored that history was proof that all developed countries became economic and cultural leaders only after they made a mark in the field of education.
“Our country, too, enjoyed such a status in the ancient times when seats of learning like Nalanda and Vikramshila were flourishing,” said Modi, who also made a mention of the International Yoga Day celebrations, due in a couple of days, to stress that India was continuing with cultural exchanges on a global scale.
“It is my mission that India re-emerges as the world’s most prominent knowledge centre. To this end, the spirit of innovation is being inculcated into our children from a very early age. More than one crore children are getting exposed to latest technology at ‘Atal Tinkering’ labs. The Chandrayaan and Gaganyaan missions are also boosting their interest in science,” he said.