Extending his good wishes on its centennial year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Lucknow University to prepare a road map in terms of what it can contribute to the nation when it completes its hundred years of freedom in 2047. The PM was addressing the university virtually on the occasion of its foundation day on Wednesday.

“When you are celebrating the centenary year with so much enthusiasm, the stories of the past should become an inspiration and guiding force for the future. The university’s aim should be to contribute in a certain way to the country,” he said.

He said he was urging the policy-makers of LU to hold discussions in small groups to set goals for hundred years of country’s freedom.

Recalling the grand history of LU, he said it was from the same Arts Quadrangle that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose had raised his voice to let the people of the country make their own constitution or face the consequences.

“When we celebrate the Constitution Day,  that call of Netaji from within the Lucknow University premises will bring in new energy,” the PM said. He also suggested that LU should associate with the analysis and promotion of local products and the skill development required.

“Modern solutions for value addition, research on modern technology for them, marketing, branding or management strategy for these products can be a part of the university’s courses and daily routine of students. New studies and researches can be carried out to make chikankari of Lucknow, locks of Aligarh, bronze work of Moradabad, carpets of Bhadohi and many other products globally competitive. These studies will also help the government frame its policies after which the ‘One Product, One District’ scheme will flourish in a proper way,” he said.

“We have to continuously work towards a global reach for our arts and culture. This soft power will help create a strong image of the country in the world. You have experienced the power of yoga which has inspired the world to make it a part of their lives,” he added.

The PM said educational institutes are not only centres of higher education but are powerhouses for achieving bigger aims. “They build our character and inspire our inner energies. Teachers polish the academic, intellectual and physical development of the students and increase the capability of students,” the PM said.

He said the bigger issue is that we do not use our capabilities to the fullest. Citing the case of rail coach factory in Rae Bareli, Modi said: “Investment was made years back and it was announced that rail coaches would be produced there, but only denting and painting work was carried out at the factory. In 2014, we changed the pattern and now it is working to its full capacity and will be counted as the biggest rail factory of the world.”

“The country was facing the problem of urea production and it was being imported because units producing urea were not working to their full capacity. Also, there was a lot of black marketing. We took some policy decisions under which urea was 100 percent neem-coated, which solved the problem. We had the will power to bring in hundred percent neem coating. Shortly, we will be restarting all the industries because a huge network of gas pipelines is being laid out,” he added.

Talking about the discouragement which the students are likely to face from people in their life continuously, he said they should believe in themselves and give 100 percent to what they believe. Sharing his experiences, he said he promoted khadi despite all the discouragement which he faced as the CM of Gujarat, with people calling it uncool and boring. “I organised a fashion show along with a university at Porbandar in 2002 and it was highly successful and gave the slogan ‘Khadi for nation before independence and khadi for fashion after independence’,” he added.

Recalling the words of poet Pradeep who was a student of Lucknow University, he said: “Kabhi kabhi khud se baat karo, khud se bolo, apni nazar mein kya ho, mann ke tarazu mein tolo.”

Talking about himself, he said he would often spend time in isolation for 5-7 days.

“One can get self-confidence only when one starts taking decisions for self.  A caged mind cannot be productive,” he insisted. He urged the students to have discussions on the new education policy for its implementation.

Paying tributes to all the great personalities who emerged from Lucknow University, the PM said he has always experienced that people who have passed out from this university have given it a special place and their eyes light up when they recall their time with enthusiasm.

“It’s then only that one understands the meaning of ‘Lucknow hum par fida, hum fidaye Lucknow’. Lucknow University carries a unique roomaniyat. A lot has changed but the mizaj of Lucknow University remains the same,” he said.