By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:The future of the country now depends on young scientists and their every work must be aimed at the welfare of the society, said Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan at the 15th convocation ceremony of the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISR) in Bhubaneswar on Thursday in the presence of Hon’ble Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan.
The Union Minister, who joined as the guest of honour, congratulated the students and highlighted their role in the development of the country. He said that Niger is a rare institution in the country where three prominent personalities of the country have come to this campus in just a few years. While the Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated this campus in 2016, earlier the Hon’ble President Draupadi Murmu and today the Hon’ble Vice President have visited this institution and encouraged the students. On this occasion, the Union Minister thanked the Academic Council of Niger, who have acted as a brand ambassador to take the art and culture of Odisha to the world stage by honouring the Hon’ble Vice President with Sambalpuri Ikat Poshlar.
According to recent data, the number of girls studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in the country is now increasing more than boys. While the national level is 43 percent, 40 percent of the students studying in Niger campus are girls, which is a very positive sign. A cancer referral hospital and research center will soon be set up in Niger campus, which will set an example in the field of medical sciences. With the presence of prestigious institutions like AIIMS, Institute of Physics, ILS, IIT, IMMT and Niger, Bhubaneswar has become a hub for world-class research and he called on Niger to take the lead in this.
An investment of Rs 1 lakh crore is being made in the RDI scheme to create a “Developed India” by 2047, as envisioned by the Prime Minister. Along with this, the Union Minister expressed hope that Niger will prepare an important roadmap in the field of ‘Rare Earth Corridor’ from Odisha to Kerala. The Union Minister inspired the students and reiterated the words of former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam that “Actionable knowledge is what turns adversity into prosperity”.
The graduation ceremony was attended by Odisha Governor Dr. Haribabu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh, Chairman of the Niger Board of Governors and Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Niger Director Professor Hirendra Nath Ghosh, Niger Registrar and Dean-Academics Dr. Prannoy Swain.
