Thiruvananthapuram Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar on Saturday said India's scientific rise is not only globally acclaimed but also provides a "vanguard" to the country's "soft diplomacy" and rise in foreign affairs.
Dhankar, who is in Kerala for a two-day visit, was speaking here at the 12th convocation of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST).
Addressing a large gathering of graduates in various fields, their parents and IIST faculty members, the Vice President (VP) said that India has made significant strides in the field of space, science and technology and has "carved a very special niche" for itself in the global arena.Dhankar said that India has gone through significantly in the last decade and during that period there were global challenges and a pandemic.
Despite the challenges, "Bharat has been a shining star" and was recognized globally as a "favorite place for opportunities and destinations."
"On a global level, India is a country of hope and possibilities and the world recognizes it." He said the recognition comes from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the like, and creates an ecosystem for generations to come.
"Through this ecosystem, you can fully exploit your talent and realize your aspirations and dreams. The opportunities are many," the vice president told the students at the event.
Dhankar recalled that in 1989, when he was an MP, "the mood was gloomy, the economic situation painful, foreign exchange was scarce and gold had to be placed in physical form in Swiss banks." "The size of the Indian economy was less than that of the city of London and Paris. Our currencies were between one billion and two billion dollars and now we are 660 billion dollars.
"We have gone through a journey from five fragile economies to five large global economies and are on track to become the third largest global economy," he added.
Today, the country has a "corruption-free enabling ecosystem" as well as supportive policies that foster the growth of a vibrant space ecosystem, encourage public-private partnerships and propel India further in the space race. vice president stated that this is due to "visionary leadership."
"A leadership that gave strong policies to this country. When you have such a political journey and a nation comprising 1.4 billion people, there are bound to be pockets of air. But those pockets of air can never be a deterrent.
"I have no doubt that the governance of this country over the next five years will put us on a trajectory where we will have to look back to see who is behind us," he said. Dhankar mentioned that the present century "belongs to Bharat" because the country was growing like never before and "the rise is unstoppable and gradual."
"Personally, I think Bharat will be viksit Bharat before 2047. I have no doubt about it," he added.
Dhankar noted that the nation's geopolitical position and strength will no longer be determined solely by physical prowess but also by intellectual and technological innovations emerging from our laboratories. "ISRO is a part of this. Disruptive technologies (artificial intelligence, “Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning) are part of this. How we unleash their prowess will define how we stay ahead as a nation.”
Referring to the space industry, he said it was undergoing an "exciting metamorphosis" and that new paradigms, such as reusable launch vehicles, were taking flight.
"These views, like those from space, have no end. You can exploit your talent to realize what is beyond the contemplation of people of my time. You can bring it to reality," he said. The vice president further said that The coming decades will witness an unprecedented rise in space exploration and India, with its robust space program and growing pool of skilled professionals, was well positioned to be a key player in this journey.
Dhankar, in his speech, also highlighted India's notable achievements such as the successful launch of the Mars Orbiter mission (Mangalyaan), the country's first solar mission Aditya-L1, the upcoming ambitious human spaceflight mission Gaganyaan and Chandrayaan missions, and said they underline the technical prowess and determination to explore the uncharted territories of space.
"My heart fails when sometimes knowledgeable people, for partisan purposes, undermine our growth, which is applauded and applauded by everyone on the planet." I call on those people to do politics, have their partisan specifications, look through the prism in a partisan way, but not when it comes to the interests of Bharat, when it comes to the growth story of this country and when it comes to the reputation of this country," the vice president said.
Dhankar, who is in Kerala for a two-day visit, was speaking here at the 12th convocation of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST).
Addressing a large gathering of graduates in various fields, their parents and IIST faculty members, the Vice President (VP) said that India has made significant strides in the field of space, science and technology and has "carved a very special niche" for itself in the global arena.Dhankar said that India has gone through significantly in the last decade and during that period there were global challenges and a pandemic.
Despite the challenges, "Bharat has been a shining star" and was recognized globally as a "favorite place for opportunities and destinations."
"On a global level, India is a country of hope and possibilities and the world recognizes it." He said the recognition comes from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the like, and creates an ecosystem for generations to come.
"Through this ecosystem, you can fully exploit your talent and realize your aspirations and dreams. The opportunities are many," the vice president told the students at the event.
Dhankar recalled that in 1989, when he was an MP, "the mood was gloomy, the economic situation painful, foreign exchange was scarce and gold had to be placed in physical form in Swiss banks." "The size of the Indian economy was less than that of the city of London and Paris. Our currencies were between one billion and two billion dollars and now we are 660 billion dollars.
"We have gone through a journey from five fragile economies to five large global economies and are on track to become the third largest global economy," he added.
Today, the country has a "corruption-free enabling ecosystem" as well as supportive policies that foster the growth of a vibrant space ecosystem, encourage public-private partnerships and propel India further in the space race. vice president stated that this is due to "visionary leadership."
"A leadership that gave strong policies to this country. When you have such a political journey and a nation comprising 1.4 billion people, there are bound to be pockets of air. But those pockets of air can never be a deterrent.
"I have no doubt that the governance of this country over the next five years will put us on a trajectory where we will have to look back to see who is behind us," he said. Dhankar mentioned that the present century "belongs to Bharat" because the country was growing like never before and "the rise is unstoppable and gradual."
"Personally, I think Bharat will be viksit Bharat before 2047. I have no doubt about it," he added.
Dhankar noted that the nation's geopolitical position and strength will no longer be determined solely by physical prowess but also by intellectual and technological innovations emerging from our laboratories. "ISRO is a part of this. Disruptive technologies (artificial intelligence, “Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning) are part of this. How we unleash their prowess will define how we stay ahead as a nation.”
Referring to the space industry, he said it was undergoing an "exciting metamorphosis" and that new paradigms, such as reusable launch vehicles, were taking flight.
"These views, like those from space, have no end. You can exploit your talent to realize what is beyond the contemplation of people of my time. You can bring it to reality," he said. The vice president further said that The coming decades will witness an unprecedented rise in space exploration and India, with its robust space program and growing pool of skilled professionals, was well positioned to be a key player in this journey.
Dhankar, in his speech, also highlighted India's notable achievements such as the successful launch of the Mars Orbiter mission (Mangalyaan), the country's first solar mission Aditya-L1, the upcoming ambitious human spaceflight mission Gaganyaan and Chandrayaan missions, and said they underline the technical prowess and determination to explore the uncharted territories of space.
"My heart fails when sometimes knowledgeable people, for partisan purposes, undermine our growth, which is applauded and applauded by everyone on the planet." I call on those people to do politics, have their partisan specifications, look through the prism in a partisan way, but not when it comes to the interests of Bharat, when it comes to the growth story of this country and when it comes to the reputation of this country," the vice president said.
