The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee addressed the first convocation of the Management Development Institute (MDI), Murshidabad today (August 24, 2016).

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that he had taken initiative for establishment of the Management Development Institute when he was representing the area in the Parliament. As the first batch of students receive their management degrees today, he was happy to share this significant moment in their life. His dream was that the people of Murshidabad must be well informed, well educated people who can take their rightful place in the country. He was happy to see that MDI, Murshidabad has come up well.

The President said technology is the key to advancement. Despite the fact we have created good infrastructure in our higher educational system, hardly any of the Indian Universities find place in the top global rankings. After his continuous exhortation to institutions to take the ranking process seriously, the situation has started improving. Two institutions of higher learning have come within the top 100 in the world in the year 2015. He expects more institutions to figure high in the rankings in the future.

The President said we should emphasize on research and innovation. Progress is not possible without a knowledge society. Knowledge leads to technology and technology to prosperity.

Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Shri Keshari Nath Tripathi, Governor of West Bengal, Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State for Finance, Shri Abdur Razzak Molla, Minister for Food Processing Industries & Horticulture Department, Government of West Bengal, Shri Zakir Hossain, Minister of State for Labour, Government of West Bengal, Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, MP (LS), Berhampore and Shri Abhijit Mukherjee, MP (LS), Jangipur.

This release issued 1500 hrs.