GUWAHATI: PM
Narendra Modi on Friday held up India’s resolve and resilience to beat the odds, be it fighting the pandemic or scripting a turnaround to win a
Test series against the Aussies in their lair, as evidence of the spirit of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” permeating everyday lives.
Addressing the 18th convocation of
Tezpur University through videoconferencing,
PM Modi said he personally drew inspiration from these two “notable events” to continue working for an evolving and self-reliant India. “When the battle against Covid-19 had just started, concerns were raised about a
vast country like India staring at devastation due to its dearth of resources. But India has shown that if you resolve to do something and have resilience, it takes little time to ready the resources needed for the task.”
The PM said India “did not compromise with the Covid situation” and took proactive decisions to curb the fast-spreading virus. “With a made-in-India solution, we resisted the virus spread significantly and utilised the opportunity to improve our health infrastructure. Our
vaccine research and production capacity has given a protection shield not only to India but many other countries.”
Modi attributed the success in producing an indigenous Covid-19 vaccine to the combined force of scientists, researchers and industry.
PM Modi, who will be travelling to Sivasagar on Saturday to preside over Assam’s largest land distribution plan for the “indigenous landless”, said the biggest transformation in the country was in the realm of instinct, action and reaction — the credo of today’s youth.
Referring to the Test series win against Australia, he said, “Young India is in charge. After one humiliating defeat at the hands of the Australian cricket team, we hit back, won the next match and went on to register a remarkable series win. The players showed determination despite injuries. Many of the team members were inexperienced but their positive intent was clear.”
He urged the students to see the circumstances of the sporting triumph as a lesson in how confidence, a positive mindset and determination to overcome adversities can help the country scale new heights.