India’s Rise in Next 5 Years Will Be Like a Gravitational Force Defying Rocket, Says VP Dhankhar

Mumbai: India's rise in the next five years will be like a rocket that defies gravitational force, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Friday as he attributed exponential growth in the country's economy to a transparent, accountable mechanism that is in place now. Calling India's rise incremental and unstoppable, he asserted that the world's fifth-largest economy has reached a stage in the last one decade where global institutions are now seeking its advice instead of giving it one.

Delivering a lecture at the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) University here, Dhankhar maintained India is getting accolades from global institutions.

He said education is the most impactful transformational mechanism for securing equality.

"India was taken to be a sleeping giant but not any longer. We are on the move, our rise is incremental, unstoppable and (it is) getting accolades from global institutions," he emphasised.

Painting a rosy picture of the country's future, Dhankhar declared that India's rise in the next five years will be like a rocket that defies gravitational force.

The vice-president insisted India has reached a level where global institutions that once tried to give advice to it are now seeking its suggestions and added all this has happened just in a decade.

The decision-making process in the country is currently inspired by a transparent, accountable mechanism and as a result, it has witnessed an exponential growth in economy, he pointed out.

Dhankar said the size of Indian economy in 1990 did not even match those of cities of London and Paris. Now, it is ahead of the economies of the UK and France.

The vice president emphasized on the crucial role of higher education in shaping the future of the nation.

"As we commemorate the centenary of our independence (23 years from now in 2047), the vision of a developed India beckons us with profound responsibility and promise. Higher educational institutions are the bedrock upon which this vision will be realized, nurturing not just knowledge but also innovation, entrepreneurship, and societal values," he underlined.

Dhankhar urged educators to foster interdisciplinary approaches, industry collaborations, and a curriculum that equips students with the skills and mindset to tackle contemporary challenges with creativity and conviction.

As India moves towards 2047, it is imperative for the country to preserve and promotes its rich cultural heritage while embracing global best practices, he said.

"You have the responsibility of instilling in our youth a sense of pride in our civilizational ethos, even as you prepare them to be global citizens," the vice president told the gathering.

Further, he said, the concept of Viksit Bharat - a developed India - is not merely a goal but a sacred mission that calls upon every citizen and institution to contribute their utmost.

Higher educational institutions are pivotal to the mission of achieving a developed nation status, serving as the "architects of tomorrow's India" through the knowledge they impart, the skills they nurture, and the values they instil, Dhankar pointed out.

Emphasising the need to create solutions that are accessible, affordable, and sustainable, the vice president said "Viksit Bharat will not be built in air-conditioned offices alone."

"It will be built in the villages, in the urban slums, in the far-flung areas of our country. As you progress in your careers, always keep an ear to the ground. Understand the real challenges faced by your fellow citizens," he told the audience at the prestigious management institute.