Speech by Her Excellency the President of India, Shrimati Pratibha Devisingh Patil at the Inauguration of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Sri Venkateswara College

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very happy to inaugurate the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Sri Venkateswara College located in the capital. The successful completion of half a Century of imparting education to young students is a significant achievement. I convey my compliments and good wishes to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams under whose auspices the college was established, as well as to its management, faculty, students and alumni. You all have been a part of the journey of this college.

The Sri Venkateswara College is the realization of the vision of three great personalities - Dr. Durgabai Deshmukh, Dr. Anna Rao and Dr. K.L. Rao. Dr. Durgabai Deshmukh was a courageous freedom fighter, active social reformer, an eminent Parliamentarian and a committed educationist. She has been described by many as the "Mother of social work in India" for the great dynamism she imparted to activities in the sphere of women's welfare. Dr. Anna Rao and Dr. K.L Rao were luminaries from the public domain, who transformed their dreams of creating an educational institution for higher education into reality through their steely determination. Their desire to establish a platform where students could receive quality higher education, found support and patronage from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams in 1961. Their ideas and ideals should be a constant source of inspiration to the College.

Universities and Colleges are where the future of nations is forged, as it is here that the youth are finally chiselled for entering into the working phase of their lives. Therefore, our institutions of higher education have a great responsibility to give their pupils knowledge and information that will help them achieve their full potential. They should create responsible citizens who, while earning their livelihood, contribute to the welfare and progress of the nation. The strength of the fabric of society is determined by its values and knowledge base. Once when asked whom he considered educated, the Greek philosopher Socrates replied, those who manage well the circumstances they encounter day by day and those who are decent and honourable in their interaction with other human beings. Education is as much about learning to deal with life as it is about character building. Hence, educational institutions have a responsibility to nurture the future generation with knowledge, culture and values. The duty of those who teach at such institutions is to imbue in the youth an understanding and appreciation of life in all its forms and hues.

India's demographic profile shows that we are a young nation, with large population of students. We will be able to reap a demographic dividend, only if our young generation has the education and skills to meet the economic and intellectual requirements of the nation. It is our youth that will carry the country forward and ensure that it takes its place as one of the fastest growing, and largest economies of the world. Definitely our youth have responsibilities to fulfill, but so do our educational institutions. They have a duty to prepare our students to face the future with confidence. There is some mismatch between the skills that our graduates possess and talents that are needed in the country, leading to a low employability ratio of our higher education graduates. This needs to be corrected. There is a massive requirement in the country for a skilled workforce in a range of sectors whether it is IT, infrastructure, tourism, media or healthcare to mention a few. This requires study of humanities, basic sciences, commerce, languages and medicine among others. There should be a broad based system of education that caters to these subjects. It is also very important for the managements of our educational institutions to constantly upgrade their training methodologies and curriculum, keeping these factors in mind. Interaction between the industry, business and academic institutions would be useful in framing syllabi that are contemporary and relevant. Developments of vocational and entrepreneurial skills are important for creating self employment opportunities.

In this context, I am happy to know that the Sri Venkateswara College is one of the four Pilot Centres identified by the University Grants Commission and the National Association of Software and Service Companies or NASSCOM to set-up "Techno Business Skill Development Centers". It has also been selected by the Department of Biotechnology of the Government of India, for the establishment of the first bio-informatics facility centre in a college. This speaks highly of the current standards of education and the future potential of your college.

Dear Students,

Whenever I get an opportunity to speak on occasions where students are present, I do so with a sense of hope and with optimism for a better future. The variety and the kind of opportunities that exist today were unthinkable during my times as a student. A globalised world coupled with technological advances has opened new avenues. However, you must focus on preparing yourselves to grasp these opportunities. Use your time in college and university to acquire what in the Upanishads is called "tejas" which means a brilliant mind, and "viveka" meaning wisdom to understand life, with its duties and responsibilities. A person who has devotion, dedication and discipline will attain knowledge and wisdom which are the keys that unlock the doors to opportunity. Keep your minds open and learn about developments in the nation and the world. The knowledge and learning that you will imbibe from here will help in the realization of your dreams and aspirations. Along with this, it is important at every step to see how knowledge can be used for the welfare of society, and to create a peaceful, prosperous and progressive nation. You as students must work selflessly for the country; strengthen its great traditions and values, particularly, its pluralistic ethos. An understanding of the diversity of traditions, languages, cultures and religions that exist in India, will contribute to building a more tolerant and compassionate approach. You must also be sensitive to the welfare of the under privileged sections of society and to environmental concerns. Your contribution to these causes will result in building an equitable and inclusive society, and a sustainable way of using the Earth's resources. Remember, education teaches you to make the world better than you found it.

I am confident that the College and its students will continue to maintain the high standards of this institution and take it to greater heights. I would also like to felicitate the faculty and the management for their devotion. An institution like this is built on the co-operation and co-ordination of its students, faculty and management, and I hope that they will all work together to realize the vision that brought this College into being.

In conclusion, I would like to say that I am indeed happy to be part of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Sri Venkateswara College. I wish the College and everyone associated with it good luck for the future.

Thank You. 
Jai Hind!