Chennai, Sept. 15 -- Calling upon the "Gen Z" and "Gen Alpha" generations to assume leadership and shoulder responsibility, Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday urged young graduates to put the nation first and ask what they can contribute to the country rather than asking what the country has done for them.
Addressing the 36th convocation ceremony of Dr M G R Educational & Research Institute here, the finance minister said the country was ready to listen to the aspirations of the youth, but implored them to step forward with a deep sense of responsibility and civic duty. "Whether you call yourselves Gen Z or Gen Alpha, we are all ready to listen to what you have to say. But you must reflect on what is happening around you, what your role is, and what can be achieved for the country through you," Sitharaman said, invoking the famous ethos of asking what one can do for one's country. She exhorted the passing-out students to assume leadership in their respective spheres and never compromise on national interest.
"Take up leadership. You must lead, and you must put the country first. Only if the country remains secure and strong will we have a home to live in. We should never give up our country," she said, pointing to ongoing global conflicts where citizens have been displaced from their homelands. Highlighting India's economic resilience, Sitharaman noted that despite unprecedented global uncertainties, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in the Middle East affecting supplies of crude oil, gas, and fertilizers, India has maintained macroeconomic stability and clocked a 7.8 per cent growth rate. She attributed this stability to strong political leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Emphasising the expanding avenues for young professionals, the minister highlighted Tamil Nadu's emergence as an industrial and technological powerhouse. She pointed out that the Sriperumbudur-Oragadam corridor has become a premier global automotive manufacturing and smartphone export hub.
She also noted that Tamil Nadu hosts 350 Global Capability Centres (GCCs), accounting for roughly 10 per cent of the national total, with tier-II cities like Coimbatore housing 80 GCCs employing 12,000 professionals, alongside rapid cluster growth in Madurai and Tiruchirappalli. Highlighting budgetary support for women's workforce participation, Sitharaman noted that the Union Budget made specific provisions to establish working women's hostels in every district to encourage women pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. Quoting couplets from the 'Thirukkural' on the enduring wealth of education and the need for patience and measured action, she advised students to shun arrogance, maintain humility, and approach life's challenges without a sense of victimhood.
Over 3,200 candidates across medical, dental, engineering, allied health sciences, law, and management streams received their degrees during the ceremony, which was also attended by the university's Founder-Chancellor A C Shanmugam and Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagenthran.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.