Be proud of your legacy and heritage, FinMin Nirmala Sitharaman tells students

Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman said students should be proud of their heritage and legacy and urged them to be both, “agents of change” and “agents of continuity”.

She was addressing a students’ meet of all institutes under the aegis of the Commerce Ministry — Footwear Design & Development Institute, National Institute of Design, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, and Indian Institute of Packaging in the city — on the topic ‘Digitalisation, Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Pillars of Indian Economic Growth’. Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal was also present.

Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address on Independence Day, Ms. Sitharaman stressed the need to absorb the Panch Pran (five resolves) put forth by the PM to strengthen the country. “Learn about sustainable designs already produced by India and improve them for the ease of living of the present age,” she said.

Citing various examples of indigenous sustainable designs like blue leather and jewelry patterns, she asked the students to be agents of change and agents of continuity.

In his address, Mr. Goyal said the Indian economy is being looked at as a bright spot the world over. He highlighted the successful innovations that the country came up with during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the production of PPE kits and testing swabs.

The Minister exhorted the students to come up with good designs which lead to cost reduction. Interacting with the audience, Mr. Goyal promised to put in place a completely online system for obtaining patents which would further strengthen the innovation environment for startups.