Date: Aug 17, 2022
North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong organised a programme “Panel Discussion on Modi@20: Dreams meet Delivery” on 17th August 2022. The programme saw the active participation of the teachers, non-teaching staff, scholars and students. The programme was organised as a culminating event which started first at all the constituent schools and departments of the University in both Shillong and Tura campuses for more than two weeks now. Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Director of Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati graced the event as the Chief Guest and also served as the Panel Expert on the book Modi@20: Dreams meet Delivery.
Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla, the Vice-Chancellor of NEHU served as the chairman of the event who also gave a presentation on the vision and mission of the Prime Minister as a statesman to lead India to greater glory. In his opening remarks, the Vice-Chancellor exhorted on the various decisions taken by the Prime Minister which changed the dynamics of the Indian development. He also noted that how the book gives a detail picture of what Modi has done for the last 20 years as a statesman, starting with being elected as the Chief Minister of the state of Gujarat. The Vice-Chancellor also mentioned that the Prime Minister is keen on linking North-East India to the mainland India and making it one of the most developed regions of the nation. He also mentioned how the Prime Minister encourages the youth in taking the lead role in the growth of the country.
The chief guest of the event Prof. T. G. Sitharam spoke about the principles of the Prime Minister and gave a detailed picture how the Prime Minister has been helping in making the nation a digitally sound nation. He pointed out that being an engineer, he would be focussing on what the book discusses about the various decisions taken by the Prime Minister has helped in the development of new start ups in the field of Technology and engineering. He also exhorted that the Prime Minister he keen interest on the youth of the nation. He also mentioned how he has established various institutes of higher learning and research in the field of engineering and technology. Prof. Sitharam also stressed on the point that Modi has started many schemes to uplift the girls specially in the field of technology. Prof. Sitharam, however, also stressed on the fact that despite opening various schemes and reservations, his institution i.e. IIT, Guwahati is not seeing the girls who top the higher secondary take up the seats in engineering institutes which has left him pondering on where do these rank holders go after they pass out and out rank the boys.
After the speech from the Panel expert, the house was opened for discussion in which the teachers, students and scholars actively took part. One of the teachers praised the Prime Minister for taking up decisions which has benefitted the tribal people and uplifted the Tribal Women. She particularly congratulated the PM on the election of Smt. Droupadi Murmu as the first Tribal Woman President of India which has been a dream of Mahatma Gandhi. One of the teachers also spoke on the fact that the book should have also included the contribution of PM in the filed of higher education and also lauded him on the implementation of NEP, however, logistics for the same should also be taken into account.
The event ended with a vote of thanks from Prof. S. K. Dixit, Registrar, NEHU