I hope to see a developed India in my lifetime: President to scholars

Hoping to see a developed India in his lifetime, President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday called upon the scholars and civil service trainees to make innovation and creative thinking as part of day to day life.

"India is the world's largest youth-populated nation. We have an abundance of creative, restless and inquisitive minds. In the networked environment of today, we need the power of youth to realise the full potential of an aspirational India," he said while addressing on the topic "Innovation: A way of life".

The President said that he was happy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his recent 'Mann ki Baat' exhorted countrymen to create an eco-system for innovations.

"He talked about a very positive initiative 'Atal Innovation Mission', to promote innovations and start-ups all over the country. I agree completely with his message of aiming to lead through Innovations," the President said.

Suggesting nine principles for an innovative society, the President said that unless children learn to question, their innovative potential will not be realised.

"We should not snub children when they ask questions to which we have no answer. We should admit our ignorance, seek relevant information from those who may know and whet their curiosity," he said.

He called to mitigate gaps between formal and informal knowledge systems and said that to recognise cultural, technological and traditional skills while implementing the employment guarantee schemes and skill development programmes.

"We must develop a sense of immediacy. Time and tide waits for none. In a fiercely competitive environment, to be in a hurry and have some impatience is a necessary virtue," he said.

--IANS

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