New Delhi, Jan 25 (Representative) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that the youth was the ‘future heroes of India’ and they will play a major role in making India ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. Explaining the true meaning of a ‘hero’, Singh asserted that ‘a hero works for the upliftment of the nation, whose work gives a new direction to the society’.The Defence Minister and Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan felicitated the Super-100 winners of Veer Gatha 4.0 here. Among the 100 winners, 66 are girls from different parts of the country. During the felicitation ceremony, each winner was presented with a cash prize of Rs 10,000, a medal and a certificate. These Super-100 are among the 10,000 special guests, who will be witnessing the Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path on Sunday, a Defence Ministry statement said. In his address, Rajnath congratulated the winners and appreciated the joint efforts of Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Education towards achieving Veer Gatha’s objective of connecting the youth with the glorious history of the country’s bravehearts. He acknowledged the pan-India participation of over 1.76 crore students in this fourth edition of the Project, stating that it is providing recognition to the bravehearts through education. He commended the intelligence, enthusiasm and patriotism of the students who participated in the competition. Expressing delight over the fact that 2/3rd of the Super-100 winners of Veer Gatha 4.0 are girls, he made special mention of a Class 10 student named ‘Nemneineng’ from Manipur, who had lost her parents when she was a child. He commended her perseverance for not giving up her studies despite numerous difficulties and securing a place among the winners. “India’s stature has grown on the global stage due to the Prime Minister’s dynamic leadership.
Today, when we speak on any international forum, the whole world listens. This has been made possible due to the hard work of every Indian, including our brave soldiers, scientists and young ignited minds. We have a major young population of about 50 crore youth. How can a country with such creative minds not develop?,” Rajnath asked the students. The Defence Minister exhorted them to continue taking inspiration from bravehearts such as freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Ashfaqulla Khan and courageous soldiers, whose bravery and sacrifice will never be forgotten. He termed the sense of national pride as the most crucial aspect for the development of any country.Singh encouraged students to not feel afraid in the face of challenges and continue moving forward towards their goals with confidence and good intent. He urged them to never allow the feeling of ego creep into their hearts, even when they touch greater heights. Always remaining polite and modest is the key, he said.Speaking on the occasion, Dharmendra Pradhan emphasised that initiatives like Veer Gatha educate school students about the valour and sacrifices of the brave gallantry award winners while nurturing the creativity of young minds.
He highlighted the record-breaking participation of 1.76 crore students from over 2.5 lakh schools who engaged in activities such as drawing, painting, and essay writing, paying heartfelt tributes to the heroes for their immense service and sacrifice to the nation. Pradhan also noted that this initiative would help instil values of patriotism, grit, and national pride, inspiring students to contribute to the nation’s progress.Congratulating every student who participated with enthusiasm and respect for the gallantry award winners, he lauded the Super-100 awardees for their success. Wishing them a bright future, he remarked that their enthusiasm and creativity would serve them well in life.During the event, Param Vir Chakra Awardee Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar shared his inspiring experience from the 1999 Kargil War, urging students to embody the values of bravery, selflessness and integrity in their lives. “True bravery lies not only in combat but in standing up for what is right in everyday life,” he said, inspiring the young participants.Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy Sanjay Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Samir V Kamat, Vice Chief of the Army Staff Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani and other senior officials attended the event.