We have surpassed those who ruled us for 250 years, says PM Modi as he lauds teachers for nation-building

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The pleasure of surpassing those who ruled India for 250 years supersedes the mere statistic that India has moved ahead of the United Kingdom to become the world’s fifth largest economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday, Sept. 5, 2022, even as he lauded the country’s teachers for their role in nation-building.

On the occasion of Teachers’ day, Prime Minister Modi interacted with educationists who received the national awards. Addressing the gathering, Modi paid homage to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He also pointed out that the teachers had received the award from President Droupadi Murmu, who also taught in far-flung places of Odisha. Addressing the gathering, Modi referred to the fact that India had become the world’s fifth largest economy by overtaking the United Kingdom.

The pleasure of surpassing those who ruled over India for approximately 250 years supersedes the mere statistic of improved ranking from 6th largest to 5th largest economy, Modi said.

The Prime Minister highlighted the spirit of the Tiranga (Tricolour) which led to India achieving new heights in the world of today. “This spirit is essential today”, the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister urged everyone to ignite the same spirit of living, toiling and dying for the country as seen from 1930 to 1942 when every Indian was fighting the British for independence.

“We have broken the shackles of thousands of years of slavery, and now we will not stop now. We will only move forward”, Modi said. The Prime Minister urged the teachers of the country to assimilate a similar spirit into the future of India so that its strength grows manifold.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the knowledge and dedication of teachers and pointed out that their biggest quality is a positive outlook that enables them to work with students relentlessly for their improvement.

“The role of a teacher is to show the light to a person, and it is them who sow the dreams and teach them to turn the dreams into resolve,” he added. State and destiny of India of 2047, the Prime Minister said, is dependent on the students of today and their future is being shaped by the teachers of today, therefore “you are helping the students in shaping their lives and also giving form to the contours of the country”, he said.

The Prime Minister said that when a teacher becomes associated with the dreams of the student, he achieves success in getting their respect and affection, according to an official statement released here.

The Prime Minister also underlined the importance of removing conflict and contradictions in the various areas of the lives of the students. He said it is important that there is no conflict in what a student experiences in school, society and at home. He emphasised the need for an integrated approach by the teachers and partners with the families of the students to nurture the students. He also advised against having likes and dislikes for the students and treating every student equally, according to the stateement.

Highlighting the appreciation received by the National Education Policy, the Prime Minister said that it is a step in the right direction. Emphasising the need to go through the National Educational Policy more than once, the Prime Minister gave the analogy of Mahatma Gandhi where he read the Bhagavad Gita again and again, and each time he found a new meaning.

The Prime Minister stressed the need to imbibe the National Educational Policy in such a way that this government document turns into the basis of the students’ lives.
He said, “Teachers played a major role in the formulation of the Policy.” He also stressed that the teachers have a monumental role to play in the implementation of the National Educational Policy.

The Prime Minister recalled his Independence Day proclamation of ‘Panch Pran’ and suggested that these Panch Prans may be discussed regularly in the schools so that their spirit is clear to the students.

These resolutions are being appreciated as a way for the progress of the nation and we need to find a way to communicate them to the children and students, he said. The Prime Minister said, “There should be no student in the entire country who does not have a dream for 2047”. He said that there is a need to recreate the spirit that engulfed the nation during the years between Dandi Yatra and Quit India

Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan and Minister of State for Education Annapurna Devi were also present.