President Pranab Mukherjee today asked educational institutions to encourage local talent of innovation and it should be supplemented by the industry to achieve a marketing value.
Addressing the 7th Convocation of the Vinoba Bhave University here, he said Jharkhand is rich in mineral resources and has a number of engineering and steel industries, which should back the efforts made by the colleges and universities to nurture talents.
"Local talent of innovation would have to be encouraged by educational institutions and supplement it by the industries to create a marketing value," Mukherjee, who is on a two-day visit to Jharkhand, said.
He said the state has 34 per cent of the country's proven coal reserves and 28 per cent of the iron ore reserves, besides having huge deposits of other minerals like mica, uranium and bauxite.
A number of key industrial companies are operating in sectors such as mineral resources, engineering and steel from the state and this factor should be a key input for promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, he said.
During the function, Mukherjee conferred the degree of D.Litt (honoris causa) on former Finance and External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha for his unique contribution to the Indian economy, international relations, and public service.
Mukherjee also asked the authorities and the industry to provide financial help to deserving candidates and to ensure comprehensive socio-economic developments.
Noting that only in the recent past two Indian educational institutions have figured among the 200 world class institutions, the President asked the universities, IITs, NIITs and other institutions to work towards excellence and be recognised at the international level.
"In the recent past, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and IIT, Delhi have figured in the list of 200 world's top class institutes. But the other IITs, NIITs and universities should work towards achieving this goal," he stressed, adding that what was needed in this regard was coordination and putting the ingredients in a proper fashion by the institutions to reach that level.
Terming Jharkhand as a land of patriots, he said the university has been appropriately named after Acharya Vinoba Bhave, who was a great saint, freedom fighter, a staunch advocate of non-violence and is considered the spiritual successor of Mahatma Gandhi.
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Mukherjee said the commitment of young civil servants towards service and not "any dogma or ideology" gives him confidence and hope.
During the event held at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, he said the young officers will be makers of a new India in the next 30-35 years.
He said the fresh batch of officers should protect India's diversity which celebrates and "nourishes on languages, customs and religions" and ensure that India takes its rightful place in the comity of nations through peace and harmony and not "quarreling with anybody".
"When we (India) began our journey there were many doubting thomases who expressed their deep suspicion about the experiments which India were making just after the partition on the basis of religion and having trauma of the Partition looming large over the scenario.
"How fiercely they debated on whether or not India should have a federal system. In the long of history of 400-500 years of India it was under the imperial power. There was not a natural federation of the states," he said.
In the course of his nearly 30-minute address, Mukherjee also looked back on his long political journey, observing how he was at the "twilight" of his active career spanning over five decades.
