It’s a war of ‘Go Back Modi’ and ‘Vanakkam Modi’ as PM addresses Bharathidasan University in Tamil Nadu

Chants of PM ⁦@narendramodi⁩ resonate in Tamil Nadu.

Have a look at the enthusiasm of the crowd. #VanakkamModi pic.twitter.com/dIFHxgxhPs

— Vanathi Srinivasan (@VanathiBJP) January 2, 2024

NDRF நிதியை ஒன்றிய அரசு தர வேண்டுமென மாண்புமிகு முதலமைச்சர் அவர்கள் மோடியிடம் கோரிக்கை. #GoBack_PanautiModi pic.twitter.com/W1RmArqQs1

— Vignesh Anand (@VigneshAnand_Vm) January 2, 2024

PM Modi at Bharathidasan University

Addressing the convocation ceremony of the state-run university, Prime Minister Modi quoted the Puthiyathor Ulagam Seivom Tamil verses of poet Bharathidasan, after whom the university had been named, and said that it meant creating a brave new world, which is also the university’s motto.

Congratulating the students, he said that, generally, the creation of a university is a legislative process — the university is created and then the colleges are opened under the university. “But in the case of Bharathidasan University, it was slightly different, the university was created in 1982 and other prestigious colleges with a good track record were brought under the university.”

He further added, “This university had a mature start, making a mark in Humanities, Sciences, Languages, and even satellites.”

அழகுமிக்க தமிழகத்தில் இளைஞர்கள் மத்தியில் இருப்பது மிகவும் மகிழ்ச்சியாக உள்ளது –

பாரதிதாசன் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தின் பட்டமளிப்பு விழாவில் நமது மாண்புமிகு பாரதப் பிரதமர் திரு @narendramodi அவர்கள். #VanakkamModi pic.twitter.com/0WgrC3Udc4

— K.Annamalai (மோடியின் குடும்பம்) (@annamalai_k) January 2, 2024

Also Read: Biggest stories from South India from the year gone by

‘Part of tradition’

Speaking of ancient universities, the Prime Minister said, “Our nation and civilisation have always been centred around knowledge. Some of the ancient universities like Nalanda and Takshashila are well known. Similarly, there have been references to Kancheepuram housing great universities like Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Madurai were also great seeds of learning. People would come from various places across the globe came here.”

காஞ்சிபுரம் பெரும் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தின் நகரமாக இருந்துள்ளது, கங்கை கொண்ட சோழபுரம், மதுரை உள்ளிட்ட பகுதிகள் அறிவின் மையமாக இருந்துள்ளன – பாரதிதாசன் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தின் பட்டமளிப்பு விழாவில் நமது மாண்புமிகு பாரதப் பிரதமர் திரு @narendramodi அவர்கள். #VanakkamModi pic.twitter.com/FS3bMoqbpM

— K.Annamalai (மோடியின் குடும்பம்) (@annamalai_k) January 2, 2024

Comparing the convocation ceremony to Tamil Sangam, the Prime Minister said, “In ancient culture, poetry and literature were presented for analysis the analysis of others, and the poet and their work were recognised by the larger society. Similar logic is used in academia.”

Prime Minister Modi further said that the young graduates are part of a historic tradition of knowledge.

Addressing the graduates, he said that youth means energy, speed, and scale and added that they (the government) are trying to match the energy to benefit the youth.

Modi said, “Universities play a crucial role in giving direction to any nation. When the universities were vibrant, the nation was vibrant too, whenever the nation was attacked, knowledge streams were attacked too.”

He added, “Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, Mahatma Gandhi, and Sir Annamalai Chettiar started the universities, which were hubs of knowledge and nationalism during the freedom struggle.”

Delighted to address the Convocation ceremony at Bharathidasan University in Tiruchirappalli. https://t.co/ssUOpv9Mrm

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 2, 2024

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Importance of education

The Prime Minister said, “The rise of universities is behind the rise of India. India is setting records in economic growth and, at the same time, the universities are entering global rankings.”

Quoting Rabindranath Tagore, Modi said, “Highest education doesn’t just give you information, but helps us to live in harmony with all of existence, all of society.”

He added, “Including the poorest of the poor, has helped in bringing you to where you are today, therefore, giving back to the society, creating a better society, and country, is the true purpose of education.”

The science you learn can help the farmers in your village, the business management can help in the income growth of the country, he added.

Prime Minister Modi said that every graduate can contribute to developing India by 2047.

Also Read: BJP shares 2019 video of Dayanidhi Maran’s take on Hindi speakers

India’s progress

Modi said that the Indian youth were already creating such a world. The Indian scientists are on the world map through missions like Chandrayaan and “our innovators took the number of patents from around 4,000 in 2014 to almost 50,000 now.”

India’s “Humanities scholars are showcasing the India story to the world like never before.” Also, the nation’s musicians and artists were continuously bringing international awards for the country, he said.

He added, “Our athletes have won a record number of medals, Asian games, and other tournaments.”

Prime Minister Modi further said, “You are stepping into the world when everyone is looking at you with hope”

Speaking of the country’s progress in the last 10 years, Modi said that the number of airports has doubled and also that the cargo handling facilities have doubled.

He added, “The number of start-ups rose from less than 100 to a lakh in 10 years, we have also sealed a number of trade deals with many countries, widening opportunities.”

Saying that it is the best time to be young in India, Modi said, “India is being seen as a part of many global solutions.”

He concluded the speech by saying that it is not the end of learning for the young graduates, “It is important to work on unlearning, re-skilling and upskilling.”

The convocation ceremony was ended by Governor RN Ravi administering the oath to the graduates.

In a very brief interaction with a group of students, he asked if anyone was interested to go to Delhi, to which two women students raised their hands and smiled. The Prime Minister paid floral tributes to a bust of Bharathidasan (1891-1964), hailed as revolutionary Tamil poet, and he posed for a group-photograph with students, Governor RN Ravi and Chief Minister MK Stalin.

(With PTI inputs)