New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday noted that scholars want to be "agents of change" and also underlined that "technology is power" while bidding adieu to 19 scholars from NITs across India who participated in the 'In Residence' programme at Rashtrapati Bhavan here.
Hailing from different parts of the country, from Jammu and Kashmir to Nagaland, these scholars were the second such batch from the technology institutes who were invited to stay at Rashtrapati Bhavan from May 16 to 22.
For Khalid Sultan, who is pursuing a doctorate in Physics in J&K, the chance to be a part of the programme was like a dream and he said that he goes back with a treasure trove of memories.
"We got a first-hand experience of how the government functions in the country and met various ministers during our stay. It was a very fruitful experience. I am going back to my state with a sense of patriotism in my heart and a will to take my country forward," said Sultan, a student at NIT Srinagar.
The President in his address said, "The students of NIT are an asset to the nation. There will, therefore, be hopes and expectations from them. They must understand and appreciate their responsibilities."
Wishing them a happy and prosperous career ahead, Mukherjee added, "The common thread among scholars is that they want to be agents of change in whatever capacity they are placed to serve the country. Technology is power."
