Jodhpur, June 9 (IANS) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, on Monday, addressed a gathering of enthusiastic students at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jodhpur, applauding the role of IITs in driving India’s journey of technological advancement over the past seven-and-a-half decades.

He said that IITs have significantly contributed to India’s global standing in science, innovation and research.

“For several years, IIT Jodhpur has been empowering youth in the desert region with a forward-looking approach to technology and development,” he added.

Highlighting India’s transformation into a technology and defence exporter, Speaker Birla credited the capabilities and vision of the youth for the nation’s growing global influence.

“India is now solving global problems and moving towards global leadership,” he remarked.

On this occasion, the Research Initiative Grant was distributed to various faculty members of IIT Jodhpur in recognition of their contributions to national progress through cutting-edge research.

Speaker Birla also launched the institute’s new website and unveiled the “Khel-Khel Mein Vigyan” comic series, an innovative educational initiative aimed at popularising science among students through storytelling.

In a significant addition to the campus infrastructure, he inaugurated the Lecture Hall Complex-II, a modern facility designed to enhance learning and research experiences.

He also planted a sapling, reaffirming the institute’s commitment to sustainability and green practices.

The new lecture hall complex, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, is expected to further strengthen IIT Jodhpur’s role as a hub of higher education, innovation and scientific exploration.

While addressing the gathering, Speaker Birla highlighted the pivotal role that IITs have played in shaping modern India.

He said that IITs have significantly advanced the nation in the fields of technology and innovation.

The students of these premier institutions are not only adopting modern technologies but are also upholding Indian values and contributing fresh perspectives, thereby enhancing the nation’s global reputation.

He emphasised that the youth of IITs, with their talent and skills, have transformed India into a thriving start-up hub.

Specifically praising IIT Jodhpur, Speaker Birla said the institute is offering a new vision to the youth in the desert region of Rajasthan.

He noted that Indian youth today are becoming job providers rather than job seekers, with IIT students playing a crucial role in this transformation.

He proudly remarked that the skills of Indian youth are now in high demand worldwide.

Reflecting on India’s progress, he recalled how the country once imported 100 per cent of its mobile phones but is now emerging as a mobile exporter.

Similarly, India is now exporting indigenous weapons, a shift made possible by the technological excellence of the youth.

He lauded IIT students for propelling the nation forward in the realms of technology and modernity.

Concluding his remarks, Speaker Birla said that the country’s young minds are significantly contributing to its technical, economic and social development, and it is due to their capabilities that India is solving global problems and steadily moving towards a leadership position on the world stage.

–IANS

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