President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday hailed IITs for their contribution to the story of India and for improving the country’s standing on the global stage.
“The story of the IITs is the story of independent India,” the President said at the closing ceremony of Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi.
“Your faculty and alumni have shown the world our brainpower. Some of those who studied here and in other IITs are now at the forefront of the digital revolution sweeping the world. Moreover, the impact of IITs has gone beyond science and technology. IITians are leaders in every walk of life – in education, industry, entrepreneurship, civil society, activism, journalism, literature and politics,” said Ms. Murmu.
She said that IITs derived their strength partly to the fact that they had expanded beyond their traditional strengths in science and engineering by offering programmes in humanities, social sciences, design, management and public policy. “This multi-disciplinary approach is well aligned with the new National Education Policy (NEP),” she said.
Looking towards the next 25 years, the climate change posed a serious challenge and therefore she urged IITs to explore technological solutions to environmental challenges and help the country achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
