15:19
Calling upon the "Gen Z" and "Gen Alpha" generations to assume leadership and shoulder responsibility, Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday urged young graduates to put the nation first and ask what they can contribute to the country rather than asking what the country has done for them.
Addressing the 36th convocation ceremony of Dr M G R Educational & Research Institute here, the finance minister said the country was ready to listen to the aspirations of the youth, but implored them to step forward with a deep sense of responsibility and civic duty.
"Whether you call yourselves Gen Z or Gen Alpha, we are all ready to listen to what you have to say. But you must reflect on what is happening around you, what your role is, and what can be achieved for the country through you," Sitharaman said, invoking the famous ethos of asking what one can do for one's country.
She exhorted the passing-out students to assume leadership in their respective spheres and never compromise on national interest.
"Take up leadership. You must lead, and you must put the country first. Only if the country remains secure and strong will we have a home to live in. We should never give up our country," she said, pointing to ongoing global conflicts where citizens have been displaced from their homelands.
Highlighting India's economic resilience, Sitharaman noted that despite unprecedented global uncertainties, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in the Middle East affecting supplies of crude oil, gas, and fertilizers, India has maintained macroeconomic stability and clocked a 7.8 per cent growth rate. She attributed this stability to strong political leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. -- PTI
