Manmohan Singh asks universities to groom global leaders

Puttaparthi (Andhra Pradesh), Nov 22 (ANI): The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Monday said with India modernizing and playing a larger role in world affairs, the country will need global leaders in education, entrepreneurship, technology and management.

"As India modernizes, grows and plays a larger role in world affairs, we will need an ever-expanding pool of human resources, the quality of which will have to be second to none. We will need global leaders in education, entrepreneurship, technology and management," said Dr Singh.

"We are a nation of young people. We must create systems and opportunities where they will acquire the skills to enable them to excel not just in India, but also increasingly on the global stage," he added, while addressing the 29th Convocation of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning at Puttaparthi University today

Dr Singh said the scientists and technicians have already achieved renown in several areas.

"Our scientists and technicians have already achieved renown in several areas. Information technology, the pharmacological sciences and biotechnology, space and nuclear technology easily come to mind," said Dr Singh.

"If we are to sustain and expand this, it is vitally important that our universities become more prolific in research on a much larger scale. At one level, of course, our university education needs to shape students who will meet the needs of a modern, rapidly growing economy and a fast changing society," he added.

The Prime Minister further said that with India emerging in the forefront of the innovative world, the country needs researchers and inventors, who will create the technologies and systems of the future.

"I am glad to see that the emphasis on scientific research in this university has increased over the years and that you are promoting high quality research in interdisciplinary areas such as drug designs and drug delivery systems, structural biology, nano materials and biomedical engineering," said Dr Singh.

"However, we shouldn't restrict ourselves to the physical world. Research in the humanities, in history, literature, philosophy, economics, in the realm of culture and ideas, is equally important," he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Singh said no society can be complete without an understanding of itself, its past and its present.

"That is what the humanities help us illuminate. Our thirst for vibrant research institutions that produce ever growing numbers of PhDs in diverse areas should be unquenchable," he said. (ANI)