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Skill Development: Strengthening Yuva Shakti

Published By : Admin | April 13, 2012 | 17:31 IST

Dear Friends,

I would like to share with you an anecdote of a man I know, who repairs watches. One day a watch came to him for repair during which he noticed a manufacturing defect. He then wrote a letter to the watch manufacturing company based in Switzerland pointing out a defect in the design of their product. As it turned out, the points raised by this man proved to be correct and the company not only appreciated the point raised by the man but also had to withdraw the watches from the market.

What does the example of this man show? It clearly shows that innovation knows no boundaries; that every individual possesses the power to innovate. With perfection in work and work culture, the best of innovations can take place. But, a major component of attaining this perfection is acquiring the relevant skills in whatever we seek to do.

We in Gujarat have made this one of our top priorities. As you are aware, the nation is commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. Gujarat is celebrating 2012 as the ‘Year of Yuva Shakti’ as a tribute to Swami ji. As a part of the celebrations, we have placed significant focus on enhancing skill development among our youth. Swami Vivekananda himself believed that the future of India depends on its youth. Never before in the history of our nation have we been younger than at present! Today, 72% of our population is below the age of 40, 47% Indians are below the age of 20 whereas only 10% of the global population is under 25. Is this not a great opportunity for us?

Infact, I have always believed that youth power is the answer to the question of whether India or China will lead the world in the 21st century. But, having a massive young population is not enough. There is a need to equip these youngsters with adequate skills and at the same time according proper dignity to each and every skilled profession. Only then will our youth power become our strongest asset.

In order to harness the untapped potential of our youth, our Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) can play an important role. Over the last decade, Gujarat has made a sincere attempt to improve the scope and infrastructure of our ITIs. Courses that were left unchanged for 3 decades were revised, the number and diversity of courses shot up with state-of-the-art infrastructure. From a mere 275 ITIs in 2001 the number of ITIs has shot up 4 fold to 1054. In the past, we only had 3000 ITI trainers but this has now gone up to 6000. We have also opened a window of opportunity by enabling ITI students to pursue Diploma and Engineering courses after their ITI education, thus widening their career horizons.

Friends, this century will rest on 3 major pillars: IT (Information Technology), BT (Bio Technology) and ET (Environment Technology). Though all 3 pillars are important, special attention needs to be paid to ET. Our ITIs can stimulate stellar research in tapping energy from natural resources such as wind, water, sun etc. Infact, I have even urged solar companies to initiate awards which could serve as incentives to stimulate innovation. Such steps can truly benefit all of us.

Every work, no matter how menial it is deserves adequate dignity. An individual performing a skilled task merits tremendous respect. We want to break away from a tendency of not respecting our skilled workforce. For that, instilling a sense of confidence among our skilled workforce can go a long way and that is why we have become the first state to start soft skill trainings in our ITIs emphasizing on overall personality development. Broadening of our mind is as important as skill development. It is essential to understand the larger vision of our deeds and once this happens no work will seem small. For instance, if a technician is working on solar technology there is a quantum of difference if he considers his work as just another mere job or if he works fully realizing that his efforts can make a difference to generations beyond him. When an expanded vision meets a skilled body, wonders can truly happen!

Gujarat has also launched 20 Swami Vivekananda Superior Technology Centres (STCs). These institutions would provide specialized training using state of the art technology. An example of this would be a STC related to Automobile Servicing. With Gujarat emerging as the auto hub of India, the potential in the auto-servicing sector is immense. Similar centres would cater to CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) Technology and Solar Technology.

Handing over appointment letters to youngsters

Friends, the results of some of our efforts are already showing. We are hailing this week as Swami Vivekananda Youth Employment Week. In the course of the week, I would be personally handing over appointment letters to 65,000 youngsters. This is a historic recruitment programme in our country. The aspirations of these youngsters are not theirs alone. We remain committed to turning every young mind into a powerhouse of innovation combined with hard work, dedication and motivation. ITIs can become a natural playground in this endeavor, adding to the opportunities for our youth. With strong skill sets, the will to work harder will increase manifold and so will the zeal to perform. It is this mantra of  SKILL + WILL + ZEAL = WIN that will empower Gujarat and enable it to take India to greater heights.

Yours,

Narendra Modi

My speech while handing over appointment letters to youngsters at Ahmedabad

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Tribute to Shri Ratan Tata
November 09, 2024

It has been a month since Shri Ratan Tata Ji left us. From bustling cities and towns to villages, his absence is deeply felt across every segment of society. Seasoned industrialists, budding entrepreneurs and hardworking professionals mourn his loss. Those passionate about the environment and devoted to philanthropy are equally saddened. His absence has been deeply felt not only across the nation but also around the world.

For the youth, Shri Ratan Tata was an inspiration, a reminder that dreams are worth pursuing and that success can coexist with compassion as well as humility. For others, he represented the finest traditions of Indian enterprise and a steadfast commitment to the values of integrity, excellence and service. Under his leadership, the Tata Group ascended to new heights, embodying respect, honesty and credibility worldwide. Despite this, he wore his achievements lightly, with humility and kindness.

Shri Ratan Tata’s unwavering support for the dreams of others was one of his most defining qualities. In recent years, he became known for mentoring India’s StartUp ecosystem, investing in many promising ventures. He understood the hopes and aspirations of young entrepreneurs and recognised the potential they had to shape India’s future. By backing their efforts, he empowered a generation of dreamers to take bold risks and push boundaries. This has gone a long way in creating a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, which I am confident will continue to positively impact India for decades to come.

He constantly championed excellence, urging Indian enterprises to set global benchmarks. This vision, I hope, will inspire our future leaders to make India synonymous with world-class quality.

His greatness was not restricted to the boardroom or helping fellow humans. His compassion extended to all living beings. His deep love for animals was well-known and he supported every possible effort focused on animal welfare. He often shared photos of his dogs, who were as much a part of his life as any business venture. His life was a reminder to us all that true leadership is measured not just by one’s achievements, but by one’s ability to care for the most vulnerable.

For crores of Indians, Shri Ratan Tata’s patriotism shone brightest in times of crisis. His swift reopening of the iconic Taj Hotel in Mumbai after the 26/11 terror attacks was a rallying call to the nation—India stands united, refusing to yield to terrorism.

On a personal note, I had the privilege of knowing him very closely over the years. We worked closely in Gujarat, where he invested extensively, including in many of the projects he was very passionate about. Just a few weeks ago, I was in Vadodara with the President of the Government of Spain, Mr. Pedro Sánchez and we jointly inaugurated an aircraft complex where C-295 aircrafts would be made in India. It was Shri Ratan Tata who started working on this. Needless to say, Shri Ratan Tata’s presence was greatly missed.

I remember Shri Ratan Tata Ji as a man of letters—he would frequently write to me on various issues, be it matters of governance, expressing appreciation for government support, or sending congratulatory wishes after electoral victories.

Our close interactions continued when I moved to the Centre and he remained a committed partner in our nation-building efforts. Shri Ratan Tata’s support for the Swachh Bharat Mission was particularly close to my heart. He was a vocal advocate of this mass movement, understanding that cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation are vital for India’s progress. I still remember his heartfelt video message for the Swachh Bharat Mission’s tenth anniversary at the start of October. It was among his final public appearances.

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