From correspondents in Delhi, India, 02:32 PM IST
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday said it had become possible for him to realise his personal dreams because of the opportunities the nation had given him and said his 'greatest ambition' was to see a fully-educated and knowledge-empowered India.
'My dreams for myself have been realised in my lifetime because my country made me,' Manmohan Singh said as he launched the two-day he Hindustan Times Leadership Summit at the Taj Palace Hotel here, recalling his journey from a 'village without hope' (Manmohan was born in the village of Gah, now in Punjab in Pakistan) to Oxford and to the office of India's prime minister.
'I stand before you today because the light of knowledge has empowered me. I cannot think of any other reason. Like millions of Indians, I come from a family of modest means. I lived in a dusty village with no doctor, no school, no electricity,' he said.
'It was the burning desire to learn, to be educated, that has brought me here to these glittering halls from that village without hope. It was scholarship and fair selection that educated me. It was a free society and a land of opportunity that employed me,' he said, adding he wanted the same dream getting realised for every Indian.
'My greatest ambition for the coming century is to see a fully educated India,' he said, while also exuding confidence that 'India will not only be the land of a free people, but of a knowledge-empowered people.
'I have this dream for my people because that was my dream as a young boy in a distant village,' the prime minister said to a packed hall that consisted of govermment and industry leaders, diplomats, public officials, intellectuals and mediapersons and the cream of the city.
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India is famous for learning and scholarship. Literary was not regarded essential, but education was available in a variety of other ways, and the emphasis was wisel put on education being orally imparted by guru to sishya. This was due to the utmost need to preserve truth and enlightenment. Astronomical growth of population and crowding of planet has led to technology-based spread of education at different levels. However this method also has led to misuses by commercial interests (ads, cheaters, bogus trainers, scamsters etc). Overall, materialism has engulfed as a result of secular education disabling man from original questioning and reflecting on what he reads. So many marvels of technology, but man still feels left alone in anonmity despite the crowd which cramps him from all sides. No single government or person or administrator can be given credit for the fast spread of education and newsy and spicy information which is almost entirely due to technology which comes pouring into earth space whether you work for it not.
Manmohanji is a sincere and honest man whose ideals and dreams as a patriot are in little doubt. IT is another matter, how much they have been taken closer to realization during his tenure (soon to conclude). Not much nearer, but he needs the close coordination with his of his cabinet colleagues as well as the state governments under rule of mostly opportunists or otherwise people who want to serve but are held at bay by a selfish opposition. The schools and colleges under govt. administrations have become more often notorious with a lack of good quality teachers who are neither qualified except barely nor are capable of service with dedication and love. The private institutions are run on crass commercial lines with merit taking a back seat. Elementary and primary education especially for the poor continues to touch the lowest levels. Even teaching jobs have been reduced to be just employment avenues with quotas bereft of merit. He has no control on the subject due to weakness of the govt.at centre. Our PM cannot boast his dreams have been taken close to translation into reality. But he does, for political propaganda, it seems.
Does he know that how poor his admin was in the last five years. As PM he has proved a failed person as people are crying for their basic needs of food and shelter. Education has become a luxury now. PM can indulge in self-praise but the facts are otherwise. The ministers had a field day during him time. None of the ministers bothered about him. Even the small boy like Raj Thakrey is enjoying like a mafia group. PM had no guts to give these ministers and the goons any thrashing.
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