Mukesh Ambani at PDEU Convocation: Shares five guiding principles including lifelong learning, family bonds
Our Most Respected Vice Chairman of PDEU,
Shri Hasmukh Adhiaji,
My Dear Friend and Our Respected Chief Guest Shri Uday Kotak,
Chairman, Standing Committee of the PDEU,
Smt. Anita Karwalji,
Our very popular Director General Prof Sundar Manoharanji,
My fellow members on the Board,
Faculty, teachers, staff, parents, my dear friends
And above all, my dear students of PDEU,
Namaste.
A very warm good afternoon to each and every one of you.
To my dear students: Hearty congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2024!
Whenever I come to PDEU, I can see the happiness, pride and excitement adorning your young faces.
And can tell you that your energy is infectious
And this only comes with the glow of self-achievement that all of you possess. And today what actually impressed me the most was how much progress the student led initiatives have made in PDEU.
All the clubs that you have started and all the individual student led initiatives are something that make all of us very, very happy. And I wanted to particularly congratulate all of you on making this now your university. And it is beyond what we or the faculty have done. You have done this for yourself. My deep appreciation for you.
Each one of you who is graduating today is of course very proud. And we are all very proud of you. But let me tell you that on this side, your parents and elders are feeling happier and prouder today.
They have been waiting for this day as eagerly as you.
Today is when their prayers are answered.
Today is when their years of tapasya, of bringing you up, bear fruit.
I have known that emotion very well.
Nita and I have sat in the parents’ seats while attending the graduation ceremonies of our three children, who are now adults
So, I extend my warm congratulations to your mothers, fathers and grandfathers in this institution and who are not present here.
And genuinely students, a very, very big hand for your elders.
I also warmly congratulate your teachers.
They too have a sense of fulfilment today.
Teaching, to my mind, is a the most noble profession.
Your teachers have spent countless hours in classrooms, labs and in fieldwork, research…
To enrich your minds with knowledge, values, skills and capabilities.
Therefore, when you achieve success later on in life, never forget that your parents, your teachers and your well-wishers have prepared you for that success.
A big round of applause for your teachers, students!
Universities, like the PDEU, not only impart knowledge;
They also equip you with the virtue of GRATITUDE.
Today I'd like you to remember that gratitude is an emotion that lessens our ego, ripens our personality, and enables us to achieve more in life.
My Dear Young Friends,
Convocation is your Big Day.
And you are truly fortunate that today you will receive the blessings and guidance from an exceptionally distinguished personality.
A friend of mine whom I can say that I have known for many decades. We've grown up together.
And he is Shri Uday Kotak, our chief guest.
He is a legendary name in Indian business.
A bold visionary, and a big achiever.
When he was young, he was a dreamer like all of you.
He was among the first Indians to realize an important truth.
He knew that India cannot become a global economic powerhouse without world-class institutions in banking and financial services.
He built Kotak Mahindra Bank from the ground up into one of the most successful banks in India. He did not really go through foreign partnerships. He had initial foreign partnerships and he could have taken the easier path. But he decided to build an Indian institution on his own.
You must know one more thing about Uday Kotak.
He is a self-made, first-generation entrepreneur.
When he started his career, he too was a young graduate like you… with dreams in his eyes and fire in his belly.
Today the world of business listens, when he speaks.
Therefore, Uday Kotak stands as a beacon of inspiration to an entire generation of young leaders and entrepreneurs.
Thank you Uday, for making the time today.
Your being here at PDEU to motivate our graduating students means a lot to all of us.
Let’s welcome Shri Uday Kotak with a big round of applause.
Friends,
What can I say about Dr Hasmukh Adhia?
PDEU is indeed privileged to have him as our wise and steadfast guide.
He is a gifted administrator, and one of India’s finest financial minds.
Thank you for your silent support.
We also have our Chairman of the Standing Committee, Srimati Anita Karwal. I am very grateful to you for your leadership as you take reins and take this institution to greater heights.
I am grateful to Dr. Manoharan. I think that as we already told him in the board under his leadership, we have come a long way. And to all my members of the board, I express my deep gratitude
PDEU’s growth could not have been possible without the unstinted support of the Government of Gujarat.
We express our sincere thanks to Shri Bhupendra bhai Patel, Honorable Chief Minister, and officials of the Government of Gujarat.
Esteemed Guests and Friends.
Above all, today we express our deepest gratitude to our visionary Prime Minister, Shri Narendrabhai Modi ji.
Pandit Deendayal Energy University owes its very birth to his extraordinary vision.
All of you are benefiting from what Narendra Bhai thought in the early 2000s. He called me and said in 2005 that we ought to build one of the finest institutions in Gujarat. And that is what we have achieved from 2007 onwards. So, we will always be grateful to our Prime Minister.
Long before he became India’s Prime Minister, he foresaw that India needed to become atmanirbhar in energy.
Over twenty years ago, he told me he wanted Gujarat to lead the nation in energy and energy products.
He also told me that Gujarat should take the lead in cultivating world-class human resources needed to achieve India’s clean energy ambitions.
That is how he helped establish this pioneering university.
Friends,
There are so many things we should learn from our beloved Prime Minister.
Let me mention just two lessons here for all of us.
One: Modi ji never lets a good idea go waste.
His Mann Ki Baat inevitably becomes his Mann Ka Sankalp.
His Sankalp is always Vajra Sankalp – his determination is as hard as diamond.
He does not rest with simply making a Sankalp.
He knows how to turn Sankalp into Success.
In the last ten years, the world has seen how he especially chooses impossible-looking tasks and transforms them into reality.
This is Lesson Number One.
Lesson Number Two is about his Boundless Energy.
Narendra Modi’s name stands for Anant Shakti ─ Infinite Energy.
Since PDEU is an energy-focused university, all of us should learn to be as energetic as our Prime Minister.
People often ask this question: “When does Modi ji take rest? Or does he rest at all?”
I can tell you that I know the answer to this question.
The answer lies in what Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya ji has said about “Rest” – or “Vishranti”.
“Kaam mein badalaav hi vishranti hai!”
“Change of work is itself rest.”
This is Modiji’s motto.
This should also be our motto.
Therefore, when we think about these two lessons ─ How to turn Ideas into Action; and How to Work Tirelessly ─ we cannot escape the conclusion that Narendra Modi ji is not only India’s Pradhan Mantri, but for us and this University, he is also our Gurudev ─ a Respected Teacher, and we will follow his learnings.
My Dear PDEU Family,
Our university is now 18 years old.
Our alumni community is growing.
Many of them have achieved outstanding success in business and society.
We are proud of their achievements.
Let me warmly congratulate the meritorious students and excellent faculty for their achievements.
Permit me to recognise some of them.
Ms. Naznin Shaikh and Mr. Nirav Prajapat, both doctoral students, have secured the coveted Prime Minister’s Fellowship. My congratulations to them.
Ten B. Tech Students received prestigious Reliance Foundation Scholarships. Again, my congratulations to them.
Dr. Sriram from the School of Liberal Studies, along with three other faculty members, secured a major project on Sustainable Agriculture in Indian villages from ICSSR. My warm appreciation and congratulations to Dr. Sriram and his team.
I am especially heartened by the application-focused research by the Center of Excellence in Geothermal Energy team led by Dr Sircar.
They have successfully demonstrated a green hydrogen research project in Una, Navsari villages of Gujarat.
It is recognised as one of the top projects in the Industry-Academia Collaboration category at the CII Bharat R&D Summit 2024.
To these and all other achievers at PDEU, my warm appreciation and wish the future generations exponential achievements in the future.
My Dear PDEU Family,
It is natural for us feel proud of what we have achieved in terms of the patents, the papers, the rankings, the awards, the all-round praise…
But we must not remain satisfied with this.
We must aim higher.
Within a couple of years, India will emerge as the third largest economy in the world.
No power on earth can stop India’s growth trajectory.
I can clearly foresee that India will become the most prosperous nation in the world before the end of this century.
But India, along with other large economies, also has a big responsibility.
We must not allow economic growth endanger Planet Earth and further worsen the Climate Crisis.
Therefore, the transition from fossil fuels to clean and green energy has to be accelerated.
I am supremely confident that Green Technologies and Green Enterprises can reverse the ecological degradation and ─ indeed ─ make our Planet more beautiful and more liveable for future generations.
Our Prime Minister wants India to become the Greenest Nation in the world.
For this purpose, India is also transforming itself into a Deep Tech nation with Advanced Manufacturing capabilities.
This is the context in which PDEU should see its future role and responsibility.
My Dear PDEU Family,
Therefore, here are my three main expectations from all of you in the PDEU Family.
My First Expectation: PDEU should further improve the quality of research and make it application-driven.
We should especially focus on newer areas like Bio-Energy, which have a potential to help our farmers and boost employment opportunities.
My Second Expectation: We should simultaneously increase our internal strengths and also forge national and global collaborations, so as to enhance our leading position in research and academics.
My Third Expectation: The intersection of Green Energy, Green Materials and Artificial Intelligence is going to shape the future of humanity.
I would like PDEU to gain a leading position in this synergy.
Talking of Artificial Intelligence, I have a piece of advice to our young students.
You must be good at using AI as a tool in learning.
But do not give up your own critical thinking.
Chat GPT kaa zaroor istemaal karo.
Lekin yaad rakho:
Artificial Buddhi se nahin,
Khud ki Buddhi se hum aage bahenge aur aap aage badh sakate hain.
Dear Graduating Students,
Before I conclude, may I share with you a few life lessons?
You will perhaps remember after many years what was said at this convocation.
As you step out of the portals of this great university, know that you are going to step into a bigger university ─ the University of Life.
The University of Life has no campus. It has no classrooms. It has no fixed curriculum. It also has no faculty.
You will be on your own.
You have to excel in it, just as you have excelled in PDEU.
But don’t worry. Life is as rewarding as it is demanding.
As you chart your path forward, allow me to suggest five guiding principles that have helped me.
ONE, DISCOVER YOUR TRUE PASSION.
Find what ignites your soul.
When you dedicate your energy to something you love, work becomes joy, and challenges become opportunities for growth.
TWO, COMMIT TO LIFELONG LEARNING.
In this age of rapid technological advancement, the willingness to learn continuously is not an option.
It is a must for survival and success.
Therefore, embrace curiosity and never stop seeking knowledge.
THREE, INCULCATE THE VIRTUE OF SHARING.
Know that knowledge grows when it is shared.
By helping others rise, you elevate yourself and build a community of mutual growth and progress.
FOUR, INVEST IN MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS.
Genuine connections ─ what I call “Dil Ke Rishtey” ─ are the foundation of both personal and professional success.
Build trust, foster respect, focus on character-building, and nurture relationships that stand the test of time.
FIVE, CHERISH AND NURTURE YOUR FAMILY BONDS.
Family gives purpose and direction to life.
It is within the family that you learn values such as care, empathy, and resilience — qualities that will shape your journey to success.
My Dear Students,
I know all of you are excited, happy, and also, perhaps, a bit nervous.
As you stand on the threshold of your professional journey, it is natural for you to think about your future.
But let me assure you of one thing. There has never been a better time to be young and ambitious in India.
You are stepping into the golden age of India.
You are not only its inheritors, but also its creators.
The future belongs to you, and I have no doubt you will seize it with courage, determination, and a sense of purpose.
The opportunities before you are vast, but so is your potential.
Step out with confidence, work with determination, and lead with integrity.
Let the values you hold close and the lessons you have learned at PDEU guide you as you reach for the stars.
We are immensely proud of you and cannot wait to see the incredible contributions you will make to India and the world.
May you always dream big, work hard, and lead with purpose.
Good luck, God bless and all my best wishes to all of you.
Jai Shri Krishna!
Thank You!
January 29, 2025
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Mukesh Ambani, Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU) President
Pratibha.Chand@ril.com
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