…. And I think the impact of climate change was not being recognized seriously enough across the world. And, probably, what we saw in the last 15 or 20 years, in terms of the rapid decline of the atmosphere’s quality, the quality of the environment is today probably one of the largest concerns before the humanity. Terrorism and climate change, we all recognize, to be the two areas which we will all have to address on mission mode. In the last two or three days, all that we have been reading is about terrorist attacks, probably, across Europe.

We in India have been suffering from this problem for several years. While at some point of time, the world did not recognize India’s problem as seriously as it now does, considering their own tryst with terrorism. Similarly, climate change for many countries remained something in the distant future and they never recognized it as such, as an important element of the very existence of mankind for many-many years.

Of course, I won’t even go into what’s happening in some developed countries right now. I can only hope that it’s a transient phase. But, clearly, the world as a whole post the Paris Agreement, the negotiations at COP21, has clearly recognized that climate change is a serious issue, it is a challenge we have to address. And, I am glad that the entire world is now woken up to this new reality working together through a shared effort for the shared prosperity of mankind.

We have had a number of global engagements. We have had the International Solar Alliance which has been launched, before the end of this calendar we shall see that as a multilateral agency, multi-national agency, ratified by the first 15 countries who would then be Founder Members. We have seen mission innovation taking some shape and, going forward, I do hope to see more action on mission innovation.

We have had a number of global engagements on the geo-thermal world, on the rapid expansion of decarbonisation in the energy space. We have a number of initiatives on the African renewable energy initiative. We have looked at the G20 Energy Ministers getting together to see what can be done to look at a better future for the world. All of these engagements I think are focusing, energy is focus in different efforts towards a common shared goal to decarbonise the energy space, to look at more and more decentralization in the energy space and looking at more and more digitalization of the energy space.

I think these 3 ‘Ds’ will define the energy sector in the future. And unless we decentralize, decarbonise, going for more and more digital technologies, I am very worried that we could land up decelerating the world economy. Because I doubt very much the world has much time or much space to further mess around with the atmosphere, mess around with the global planetary situation. And as we see the Earth Day each day happening somewhere in August, we can clearly see that we are running out of time when we will have to accelerate our efforts to promote clean energy, to look at ways and means to reduce the pollution,  reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

And, in that sense, your deliberations over the next three days to promote renewable energy, costs are down, costs are becoming far more reasonable. When one looks at comparable costs of other forms of energy, I think today renewable energy is becoming more and more attractive, very often even below grid parity. But, going forward, very clearly, with advancements of technology and better and better grid integration between renewable energy and base load of power coming from carbon sources, I am sure this advent of technology will make renewable energy even more attractive, particularly, for emerging and growing economies like India, which have an opportunity to do things first time right.

We are also focusing on, apart from renewable energy, on seeing how we can promote electric vehicles, so that we bring down the consumption of oil and petroleum products and promote an ecosystem where renewable energy goes in to power the electric vehicles and we can bring down the overall carbon dioxide emissions in the entire economy, in the entire ecosystem.

Sustainable renewable energy growth will particularly need global cooperation, it will need standardisation wherever that is possible, and it will need more and more innovation coming into play. I am sure different countries are working on innovation to make renewable energy even more robust, get better plant load factors on solar and better outputs from wind energy, looking at how waste can be converted to energy in a more economical manner. And this continuous effort will help us certainly in the future make renewable energy the way to go. TERI has been playing a very very important role in India’s own efforts to promote renewable energy. And I have no doubt in my mind, this thrust on renewable energy, which the government of India is giving, which organisations like TERI are supporting, several other NGOs in this space are working towards will lead to a future, which will be a future where we can leave a better planet for the next generation, a better place to live in and leave behind a better world for the children of tomorrow.

I wish this Congress well. I wish all the deliberations in this Congress will help us as policymakers come up with even better and more robust policies to continue to support and encourage the growth of renewable energy sector.

Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen.

स्वामी जी, भाईयों और बहनों, वास्तव में मुझे थोड़ा पहले आना था लेकिन एक आखरी मिनट में मुझे खबर मिली एक मीटिंग बुला ली गयी, इसलिए मुझे विलंभ हुआ आने के लिए, मैं आप सबसे क्षमा चाहता हूँ| आज somehow दिन ऐसा हो गया दीदी माँ कि एक के बाद एक लाइन में मीटिंगें तो सुबह भी मुझे एक कार्यक्रम में पहुंचना था तो इस मीटिंग के कारण उसको भी बहुत कट-शोर्ट किया| तो मैं सीमा को बता रहा था वहां मैंने 10 मिनट में भाषण ख़त्म किया, पीएम के यहाँ टाइम पर पहुँचने के लिए, तो उसने कहा कि वह ज़रूर तुम्हारे बाकी भाषणों से ज्यादा अच्छा रहा होगा|

मुझे लगता है राजनीति में लगने के बाद लम्बे भाषण, लम्बे उद्बोधन देने की शायद आदत बिगड़ जाती है जबकि वास्तव में हमें आपसे उद्बोधन लेना चाहिए और आपसे सीख लेनी चाहिए| हम जितना कम बोलेंगे और आप जितना ज्यादा बोलेंगी उतना समाज के लिए अच्छा रहेगा|

संत समाज ने हम सबके मार्ग दर्शक के रूप में लगातार काम किया है, हम सबको प्रेरणा दी है, हम सबको दिशा दी है| उलटे मेरा एक ही सौभाग्य रहा कि मैं दीदी माँ के वात्सल्य ग्राम आश्रम में जा सका और तब से ही मेरे मन में इच्छा  भी है और कुछ मात्रा में पीड़ा भी है कि मैं ज्यादा कुछ कर नहीं पाया हूँ| लेकिन वास्तव में जो नया टाइम देखा समाज के उस वर्ग को संभालने का जिसके साथ कुछ न कुछ आपदा हुई हो या तकलीफ रही हो, उसके प्रति जो संवेदना और उसके प्रति जिस प्रकार से वात्सल्य ग्राम का पूरा ढांचा बना है, पूरी योजना बनी है, वास्तव में मेरे लिए बड़ा ही eye opener था| It was an enlightening experience.

हम दीदी माँ के बारे में, दीदी माँ के काम के बारे में सुनते थे, मुंबई में स्वरुप चंद गोयल ने आपके साथ, इस संस्था के साथ जुड़ाव भी रखा, कार्यक्रम भी किये लेकिन मैं समझता हूँ जब तक हम वहां जायें नहीं स्वयं, अनुभव नहीं करें कि वह कितनी vibrant organisation है, कितना तेज है वहां पर उस पूरे काम में कितना आत्मीयता है, मैं समझता हूँ बाहर बैठे हुए उसको समझना लगभग नामुमकिन है| जो कल्पना आपने बनाई है जिसमें बालक-बालिकाएं, माताएं और वृद्ध महिलाएं, तीनों का जो जुड़ाव करके एक पारिवारिक पूरा जीवन दिया है तीनों वर्गों को, मैं समझता हूँ अपने आप में यूनिक है, पूरे विश्व में ऐसा कोई मैंने comparable आज तक नहीं देखा है|

जैसे-जैसे समाज बदलता जा रहा है, nuclear families आ रही हैं, सभी अपने-अपने काम में व्यस्त होते जा रहे हैं, छोटी families, बट रही हैं families, ऐसी परिस्थिति में स्वाभाविक है कि कई लोग रह जाते हैं जिनको माता का प्यार नहीं मिलता है, माँ की छत्रछाया में पूरा पालन पोषण होने का सौभाग्य नहीं मिलता है| ऐसे में जिस प्रकार से आपने उस पूरे प्रोजेक्ट को संभाला है, बनाया है एक हम सबके लिए सोचने का विषय है कि किस प्रकार का समाज हम भारत में आगे चलकर देखते हैं|

आजकल पता नहीं आप में से किसी ने वह वीडियो देखा होगा, एक एक-मिनट का वीडियो बड़ा वायरल हो रहा है जिसमें एक माँ अपनी बच्ची को मैथ्स सिखा रही है, गणित सिखा रही है| देखा होगा आजकल बहुत ही ज्यादा घूम रहा है| कल मैं भी मुंबई में था मेरी लड़की आई हुई है, मेरी लड़की आई हुई है, हम लोग, मैं थोड़ा समय दे रहा था परिवार को| तो हम बार-बार उसको वह वीडियो दिखा के बता रहे थे कि हमने तो बड़ी गलती की, हमने तो तुम्हें ठीक से पालन पोषण किया ही नहीं, एक भी बार थप्पड़-वपड नहीं मारा, तुम तो बिगड़ जाओगी आगे चलकर|

पर वास्तव में वह कोई तरीका नहीं हो सकता है बच्चों को बड़ा करने का, बच्चों को पालन पोषण करके अच्छा बनाने का| जो तरीका मैंने दीदी माँ के यहाँ देखा वह तरीका ही असली माँ के प्यार से एक पौधे को जैसे बड़ा करके एक अच्छा सभी को छत्रछाया देने वाला पौधा बनता है, वैसा वहां पर मुझे वात्सल्य ग्राम में पूरा अनुभव हुआ, पूरा देखने को मिला और आज के इस 21वीं सदी में इस प्रकार के काम को बढ़ाना, पालन पोषण करके बच्चों को अच्छा बनाना, यह वास्तव में हमारे लिए आगे के लिए एक नयी दिशा दिखाता है|

आज यह जो पहला वर्षगांठ है इस संस्था की, इसमें भी हम सबको स्वामी परमानंद जी की सीख एक प्रकार से फिर से याद आती है, बहुत ही प्रबुद्ध विद्वान थे, योग गुरु हैं, शिक्षक हैं, दार्शनिक हैं, आध्यात्मिक गुरु हैं, सरल सन्देश देते हैं, जब भी बात करते हैं तो बहुत, शब्दों में बहुत सरलता रहती है, कोई बहुत complicate नहीं करते हैं, विषय को बहुत आसानी से लोगों को समझा देते हैं, लोगों को अपनी तरफ मोहित कर देते हैं|

ऐसे में जब इस प्रकार की संस्थाएं बनती हैं उसमें हम सब जुड़ते हैं तो मैं समझता हूँ हमारी भी अगली पीढ़ी को वह सीख मिलती है जो हम सबको मिली इन सब महानुभाओं के साथ, इनके टच में आने से| इस संस्था का एक वर्ष पूरा होना, एक वर्ष पूरे होने पर हम सबको मौका मिलना देखने के लिए कैसा अच्छा काम हो रहा है यहाँ पर, और हमारे सभी संत महानुभाओं का आशीर्वाद मिलना यह हम सबके लिए बहुत ही सौभाग्य की बात है| मैं बधाई देता हूँ यहाँ के सभी ट्रस्टीज को, सभी आयोजकों को और विश्वास करता हूँ कि यह संस्था और आगे चलकर सफलतापूर्वक समाज में अच्छा काम करती रहेगी, समाज सेवा करती रहेगी|

और अभी-अभी आते-आते मैं जिम देख रहा था, एक मॉडर्न और आध्यात्मिक, दोनों का मिलाव करके जब हम लोगों की चिकित्सा का भी ध्यान रखेंगे, लोगों के आगे के लिए जीवन को एक सम्पूर्ण रूप से देखकर ठीक रखने का प्रयत्न करेंगे, तो मैं समझता हूँ this modernity with traditional methods of treatment, यह combination ही आगे चलकर relevant होगा, practical होगा, देश में आगे बढेगा|

आप सबको बहुत-बहुत शुभकामनाएं| दीदी माँ माफ़ करना कि मैं, विलंभ हो गया मुझे आने से, लेकिन हमारी नौकरी ऐसी है कि हमारा टाइम दूसरे लोग तय करते हैं, पर अच्छा लगा आ कर |

तो आपको और आपकी संस्था को बहुत-बहुत शुभकामनाएं और हम सबको आपका आशीर्वाद मिलता रहेगा, ऐसी कामना करते हुए मैं बहुत बहुत धन्यवाद देता हूँ|

Thank you very much, my senior colleague, honourable Minister Shri Ravi Shankar Prasadji, Shri Narayana Murthyji, Mr Raj Jain, bodhi  other colleagues from the Times Group, all the awards winners this evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Every award function is always a delight to participate in, because while on the one hand we are recognizing success stories, I believe we are also encouraging many-many-many more people who are aspiring to be there, going forward, who are looking to excel in their performance and who have a lot to offer. Many times it would have probably been a very small margin by which somebody got left out of the awards. And, therefore, every award function for me is for everyone in the room, and everyone who is watching; those who win the awards, those who are going to win the awards going forward encouraged with the success stories.

So, my compliments to all the award winners and my best wishes to all of those who are going to become the award winners in the future. I think you gave awards in 8 categories, which will be presented shortly. I wonder hearing some of your questions whether there could be an award for people who return to India and start up new ventures, new enterprises after gaining experience internationally, as a separate category, more so, to encourage our bright talent, which is all over the world and who has a lot to offer our country, who is interested and excited about coming back. And many times has a lot of issues of adjustment but are still able to do the job very successfully.

In fact, over the last two days, we have had some wonderful engagement with start up entrepreneurs, about 212 of them in Delhi. The honourable Prime Minister himself engaged with many of the young entrepreneurs and CEOs and start ups and it was truly an engrossing experience, a learning experience. As they presented before the Prime Minister their vision for India at 2022,  a new India, a prosperous India, a poverty-free India, an India where every citizen has a shelter on his head, electricity 24/7 in his home,  good toilet facilities, water, roads leading up their village, to their home, good quality education and healthcare in the vicinity.

The India that we all dream for every citizen of this country without discrimination, and as we heard their views, as we heard their suggestions on what needs to be done to take India to that new India of the country’s dreams, one felt very-very satisfied, one felt very-very reassured that our country is in safe hands. The youth of India will ensure success going forward, and there is no power on earth that can stop India from succeeding in this mission to provide for our people a better quality of life, a life of happiness, a life of fulfilment.

India being home to the third largest pool of start ups, particularly, the unicorn start ups, is also a very satisfying feature. I know many of the investors and start ups are also here in this room and I would like to compliment you for trusting our youth with your money, for enabling these young entrepreneurs take risks, gamble for the future. And unless one dreams big, unless one has fire under the belly, unless people are willing to take risks, I don’t think the nation can look at innovation, can look at new ideas. And in that sense, as the Prime Minister says, ‘a nation with such youth power cannot afford to think small.’ It is necessary for all of us to aim big, to think big.

In fact, Thomas Edison had once said that I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 new ways not to do a particular thing. And I think each one of these start ups are also in their journey towards success, learning new ideas, learning what not to do, unlearning some of what you have learnt in school and college. As they say, probably, the dropouts are more successful than the people who graduated these days.

In some sense, I am also privileged that I never completed my studies which I had embarked to do about 2013 to try and pursue an executive education programme for 3 years, could only manage 1 year and then got caught into the new role. But, probably, I thank my luck for that, because if I had completed that education I might have landed up as a professor instead of a Minister.

What each one of you is doing is acting like a bridge, bringing revolution in digital governance and the economy. And in that sense, you are the keystone for a better and brighter future in a variety of areas. I see start ups coming up with innovative ideas when it comes to the renewable energy sector. I see young boys and girls come up to me with ideas on what could be done better if we have to promote electric vehicles in the country.

Amongst the people who were participating yesterday, I found this young boy who started a venture where he signed up 5000 truck drivers, so that drivers don’t have to go out of their homes for days and weeks….. but could actually do parts of the journey and come back in the evening to their home and a new driver would take up the consignment. And as he spoke about it, and the passion with which he spoke about it, I realised the game-changing dimension and possibilities out of that.

The fact that many truck drivers get into alcohol, get into drugs, the safety factor, their health factor, HIV aids predominantly found amongst truck drivers who are out of their home for long stretches of time, and the amount of benefits that I could see in that small app through which he is operating his start up was truly remarkable. And I am sure, today all the award winners would have in their respected areas done equally game changing work, equally smart work, equally important work, and this effort which will take India into the 4^th dimension of industry, into the 4^th generation of technology, which will help us be a part of the evolving digital  infrastructure in the world, I am sure will certainly make India the start up capital of the world where technology,  innovation and new ideas will truly take this country to the next level of growth and development.

My best wishes to all of the entrepreneurs assembled in this room, I must thank Economic Times for recognising the good work that these start ups are doing, for acknowledging the importance of these start ups. We in government are committed, as I am sure Ravi Shankar ji will speak about, to encouraging and ensuring that start ups get opportunities, which otherwise, would not be possible in a mundane setting of bank financing or institutional financing. Whatever help we can do in government, we will be delighted to do, we would like to partner with your initiatives, we would like to support your efforts. We would like to be a part of this new ecosystem, learn from you what could be done better, engage with you and your ideas to truly achieve the vision of new India, the new India of the dreams of 125 Crores Indians.

Thank you very much.