BHUBANESWAR: With 65 per cent of its population below 35 years, India is all set to become a global leader in technology, education, innovation, sports and entertainment in next 20 to 30 years, Editorial Director of The New Indian Express Prabhu Chawla said here on Friday.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of Gopabandhu Jyoti Yatra-2017 organised by leading vernacular daily The Samaja, the noted journalist said India is not a country of beggars, it is a nation of great people, administrators, academicians, technologists, entertainers, sportpersons and spiritual leaders. Its art, heritage, culture and cuisine can dominate all.
“We need social reformers who can lead and guide the world. We have the capacity to produce leaders who can be statesmen because we have a strong democracy. Since one sixth of world’s population lives in India, we should work up to our potential so that we can win one of every six Nobel Prizes,” he said.
Stating that Indians are weak in marketing, Chawla said the country can become a global leader if it can market the products efficiently. “We have excelled in many fields, be it technology, sports or entertainment. In cricket we are No.1. Our athletes are winning gold in world championships. Many of our films doing business of hundreds of crores. Indian actors are becoming international actors. I can foresee they will dominate the world entertainment industry in next 20 years and India will be known as the entertainment capital of the world,” he said.
The Padma Bhushan awardee claimed the country can become No. 1 in many areas if principles of Pandit Gopabandhu Das are followed. “Sabka Sath, Sabka Bikash may have been the slogan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi but it was initiated by the Utkalmani who always believed in collective efforts and inclusive growth,” he said.
Paying rich tributes to the great freedom fighter, Chawla said he was bigger than Mahatma Gandhi for Odisha. He was a social reformer and thinker who sacrificed his life for the people. His photo should have been placed in the Central Hall of the Parliament for his contribution to the freedom movement, he added.
Chairman of National Youth Project SN Subba Rao said, “The movement of Jyoti Yatra can be successful if we follow the footsteps of the great leaders and contribute to realise their dreams.” He urged the youth to adopt Gopabandhu’s principles of rejecting violence, hunger, vices and corruption.
President of Servants of the People Society Deepak Malviya, founder of KISS Achyuta Samanta, Editor of The Samaja Bamapada Tripathy and working general manager Priyabrata Mohanty also spoke.