Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called on students to dream big, think differently and act fearlessly, saying young Indians would be central to building a developed and self-reliant nation by 2047.Addressing the golden jubilee celebrations of Jaigopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School here at the Chennai Trade Centre in Nandambakkam, Modi said India’s ambitions included becoming one of the world’s three largest economies, emerging as a global manufacturing hub, hosting the Olympics in 2036 and sending an Indian to the Moon.Modi said collective effort could turn these goals into reality. He linked Tamil Nadu’s progress with the country’s development mission and urged people to work together to build a developed state and nation.He said ideas generated by India’s youth could shape the future of the world as countries searched for answers to complex challenges, Indian youngsters had the ability to offer innovative solutions, he added.“This is your time. This is your opportunity,” Modi told students, asking them to recognise the possibilities before them and approach their ambitions with confidence.On sports, he said India was working towards hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games and pursuing its ambition to stage the 2036 Olympics.He also cited the expansion of higher education, saying universities had risen from 750 in 2014 to more than 1,300, while colleges had increased from 38,000 to over 52,000.Invoking poet Subramania Bharathi’s message of fearlessness, Modi urged students to remain curious, convert ideas into action and contribute to India’s progress through learning and innovation.
