Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi, on November 22, said at a time when the country was making rapid strides on the path of development and progress, no sector should be ignored or left behind.
He made the remarks while gracing the inauguration ceremony of the 15th National Tribal Youth Exchange Programme by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) in Chennai on November 22.
Addressing the event, the Tamil Nadu Governor said, “Today, when India is marking rapid forward strides across spheres and being raved about and praised across the world, with several countries turning to us in the quest for solutions to global problems, I feel now is the time when no sector should lag or be left behind in our march to development.”
“As much as the Government has a role in this, so does our society, especially the youth of our society. There are about 10.6 crore tribals in our country. If so many people lag behind in development, then our country can never truly move forward on the path to progress,” Governor R N Ravi added.
“Unless each and every citizen of our country takes the road to progress, there will remain gaps in the country with regard to development. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, which means the world is a family. Likewise, India is also one big family. If any member of that family is weak, backward or sick then the problem of that member becomes the problem of the entire family,” the Governor said.
The issues of tribals should be addressed on priority, and all stakeholders in the country’s development should lend them a helping hand as a family member would and bring them on par with other communities in the quest for all-round development, he added.
“Development is a must, different tribes are situated in several parts of India. Some of them have been doing really well. I was in Nagaland when I visited some tribes from the North East, who have preserved their culture and are doing well in sectors of education and development,” he noted.
“Whenever there is a cultural show, they perform their arts, their traditional dance forms, and play their tribal music but at the same time, they are very good and advanced in their education. Most are professors, doctors, IAS, IPS, and scientists, playing big roles,” the Governor added.
“About 20-25 years ago they were also not in a very good position, but they focused on their development and walked the path to progress. We should aspire to push other tribals to the same kind of development. Become an example for the people around you, dream big and achieve them,” the Tamil Nadu Governor said.
The 15th National Tribal Youth Exchange Programme (TYEP) aims to raise the aspirations of youth from remote tribal areas of 25 selected districts in 8 States.
The programme provides the youth with an opportunity to visit 25 different places in the country and help the younger sections of the population understand the cultural ethos, language, and lifestyles of people belonging to different cultures and ethnicities.
(with inputs from ANI)
