President Ram Nath Kovind Wednesday paid tributes to teachers, scholars and academics on the Teachers' Day for drawing from age-old traditions of learning and wisdom and contributing to make India a "knowledge power".
Addressing students at the prestigious Sofia University in Bulgaria, President Kovind said teachers, scholars and academics were a source of pride for India.
"I would like to pay tribute to India's teachers, scholars and academics. They have drawn from India's age-old traditions of learning and wisdom - and they have contributed to India's reputation as a knowledge power. They are a source of pride for India," the President's Secretariat tweeted.
The President said Indian scholarship and academic excellence were recognised across continents and earns India goodwill.
"The 21st century is an era of dramatic technological change. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Artificial Intelligence, and the maturing of robotics and of 3D and precision manufacture are changing how we live and work," Kovind said.
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"This is a revolution playing out in real time in India. It has made India the world's third-largest innovation and start-up hub. And it has made India the fastest-growing large economy," he said.
"This is part of a larger story that places India as the world's second-largest contributor to high-quality scientific research and 12th highest in terms of patents filed. India's R&D investments are expected to touch USD 83 billion this year," he added.
India has a massive network of 903 universities and 39,050 colleges. Close to 40 per cent of the universities and 80 per cent of the colleges are run by the private sector.
Students from Sofia University and other institutions travel to India on scholarships. They are part of a growing international student community in India that comes from 166 countries.
Kovind arrived in Bulgaria on Tuesday from Cyprus on the second leg of his eight-day three-nation visit to Europe to continue India's high-level engagements with European countries.
From Bulgaria, he will fly to Czech Republic on the final leg of his three-nation trip on September 6.
In India, September 5 is commemorated as Teachers' Day in honour of the country's first Vice President Dr S Radhakrishnan.
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