Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu today exhorted students to "aim high and dream big" to achieve success in life just as former President APJ Abdul Kalam did despite having humble beginnings.
Delivering the 11th convocation lecture at the Tripura Central University here, Naidu said In fact, the President has proved to all of us that one can reach the highest position in the country through hard work, dedication, honesty and perseverance, irrespective of humble beginnings."
This also holds true for Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi, he said.
Kalam used to distribute newspapers...he went on to become a great scientist. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to support his family as tea vendor, now he is the most powerful person in the world, as per some reports. If you are disciplined, work hard and have aim, irrespective of humble beginnings, you can go high, Naidu said.
He advised the youths to look back at their roots, values and respect "mother, motherland and mother tongue and Guru".
"Speak only in mother tongue at home. Language is important to communicate. There should be no problem in learning English, but why should we forget our tradition, culture and art? he asked.
He said one's mother tongue is like eyesight, and other languages are like spectacles.
He said students might be tempted to go abroad for education, but opportunities are there in India now as well as the infrastructure.
Naidu said the independence of Kashmir is not at all acceptable which has to be understood by all.
"Secularism is in the DNA of Indians. It is in our blood, he said.
Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy, Higher Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath and Vice-chancellor Anjan Ghosh also spoke in the convocation.
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