Lokesh Stresses Inclusive Education for Viksit Bharat
Lokesh noted that true education brought change in people’s lives and this must reach every section of society.
Visakhapatnam: Education minister Nara Lokesh has said the dream of a “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India) can only be realised when every region develops and every section of society is benefited.
He was participating in the convocation ceremony for the Central Tribal University in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.
The minister described universities in tribal areas not merely as centres of learning but also as beacons of social transformation and equal opportunity. “When the first student in a family graduates, the entire family advances - and the nation also benefits from this.”
He said the spirit of Viksit Bharat lay in empowering citizens through research, innovation and development, while also preserving India’s rich tribal heritage.
Lokesh noted that true education brought change in people’s lives and this must reach every section of society. “Universities are not just institutions that award degrees but places where dreams are shaped, leaders are moulded and futures are transformed.”
The convocation was attended by President Droupadi Murmu, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan and governor Abdul Nazeer. Lokesh said the presence of President Murmu as chief guest was deeply symbolic, as her life story itself illustrated the transformative power of education.
Born in a small tribal village in Odisha, Droupadi Murmu overcame immense challenges to become the first woman from her village to earn a degree, inspiring generations of tribal girls to pursue higher education, he noted.
Addressing graduates, Lokesh urged them to remember that the true purpose of education is not merely to obtain a degree but to bring solutions that transform lives. He noted that while artificial intelligence can provide answers, it cannot replace human values, curiosity, compassion, and character.
Universities, he said, must produce not only skilled professionals but also responsible citizens and leaders with humanitarian outlooks. Success should be measured not by degrees but by the number of lives transformed, problems solved and opportunities created.