Vice President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan addressed the 39th Convocation and Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Gandhigram Rural Institute in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, emphasizing that India's journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047 must begin with empowered villages and holistic rural development. He stressed that rural development should ensure access to quality infrastructure, essential public services, livelihood opportunities, and a dignified standard of living comparable to urban areas, without necessarily transforming every village into a town.
Highlighting India's development progress over the past twelve years, the Vice President noted that approximately 25 crore people moved out of multidimensional poverty between 2014 and 2023, attributing this to various development and welfare initiatives that improved quality of life. He specifically mentioned the PM-KISAN scheme, under which eligible farmer families receive financial assistance of ₹6,000 annually in three instalments directly into their bank accounts, linking farmers' welfare directly to the country's food security.
The Vice President emphasized the importance of connectivity, stating that villages must be linked to towns and cities through improved road and transport infrastructure to ensure opportunities in education, healthcare, markets, and employment reach rural communities. He also highlighted the impact of the Swachh Bharat Mission in creating greater awareness about cleanliness, noting that cleanliness is a collective responsibility of every citizen, not just the government.
Regarding technological transformation, the Vice President observed that Artificial Intelligence, automation, and digital technologies are rapidly changing the nature of employment and urged students to equip themselves with emerging technologies while developing creativity, problem-solving abilities, and an entrepreneurial outlook. He encouraged them to become job creators rather than job seekers and connected Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of Swadeshi to promoting domestic manufacturing, indigenous technologies, local industries, and innovations by young Indians.
During the event, the Vice President conferred gold medals on meritorious students and awarded Honorary Doctorates (Honoris Causa) to three distinguished personalities: Thavathiru Kundrakudi Ponnambala Adigalar (spiritual leader and Tamil scholar), Shri S. Nambi Narayanan (former senior aerospace scientist of ISRO), and Professor S. S. M. Sundaram (distinguished academician). He inaugurated two new buildings—the Examination and Seminar Halls and the Pushpkunj Heritage Building—and digitally laid foundation stones for three projects: a 22 kV Power House and Control Room, an Academic Building for the School of Education, and an Academic Building Complex comprising 30 classrooms. Additionally, he released the book "Inclusivity of India's Ageing Population" and unveiled a Golden Jubilee Commemorative Postage Stamp and Postal Cover.
The event was attended by Governor of Tamil Nadu Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chancellor Dr. K. M. Annamalai, Vice-Chancellor Dr. N. Panchanatham, Registrar Dr. K. Marimuthu, faculty members, researchers, students, parents, and other dignitaries.