By Chandan Singh | Page 3 News Worldwide | New Delhi 

New Delhi: Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Wednesday called upon students to embrace service, discipline, innovation and social responsibility to help realise the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047, addressing thousands of students, teachers and volunteers at Chhatrasal Stadium during the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.

The highlight of the event was a spectacular Human Rangoli formed by 10,800 students and volunteers, depicting India’s development priorities, including farmers, technology, youth empowerment, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and the Delhi Solar Policy, with India placed at the centre.

The display symbolised national unity, collective aspirations and the role of young people in nation-building. Sood commended the Directorate of Education and its team for conceptualising the initiative and praised the participants for demonstrating creativity, discipline and a spirit of shared responsibility.

Addressing the gathering, the minister highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 continuous years of public service in constitutional offices. He also said the Delhi Cabinet had unanimously passed a resolution expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister for initiatives contributing to the welfare, development and empowerment of children and young people.

Emphasising the importance of responsible citizenship, Sood urged students to translate their aspirations into meaningful action for society.

“India’s future will not be built solely by government policies and schemes. India’s future will be built when every citizen of the country understands their duty and accepts their responsibility toward the nation,” he said.

4.5 lakh students participate in competitions

The Seva Sankalp Abhiyan began on September 17 with the Ashirwad Ka Diya initiative, which was organised across the country. In Delhi, the programme covered 75 CM Shri Schools and other participating schools, with around 2,000 students and heads of schools taking part in the presence of MLAs.

The campaign subsequently expanded through the Seva First Innovation Challenge at Delhi Technological University, offering young people a platform to present innovative ideas and develop solutions to societal challenges.

Speech, drawing and reel-making competitions were also organised through the Seva Portal. Approximately 4.5 lakh students participated at school, district and state levels. Winners were felicitated on October 14 in recognition of their creativity, talent and commitment to the values promoted by the campaign.

Smart classrooms and startup support

Highlighting efforts to modernise Delhi’s education system, Sood outlined initiatives aimed at strengthening digital infrastructure and improving access to technology-enabled learning.

These include 9,000 smart boards, modern information and communication technology laboratories, Chromebooks in digital libraries and advanced language laboratories offering opportunities to learn Sanskrit, Kannada, French, German and Spanish.

The minister also highlighted project seed funding of ₹20,000 per team to encourage student-led innovation and experimentation, alongside the Delhi Government’s ₹400-crore Startup Policy to support entrepreneurship and help young people transform ideas into viable ventures.

He urged students to develop practical solutions to real-world problems and use innovation to contribute to social and economic progress.

Youth pledge to work for developed Delhi and India

The atmosphere at Chhatrasal Stadium was charged with enthusiasm as students raised slogans pledging to work towards the development of Delhi and India.

Sood said the younger generation was not merely the country’s future but an active partner in shaping its present. He called upon students to use their knowledge, creativity and energy to build a developed, inclusive, self-reliant and progressive India.

“The youth of Delhi have stepped forward with the resolve of ‘We will do it’,” the minister said, adding that the message should reach the Prime Minister.

He encouraged students to make service, compassion, discipline and responsibility part of their everyday lives, stressing that even small acts of service could bring meaningful and lasting change to society.

The minister said the campaign’s initiatives, ranging from Ashirwad Ka Diya and the Seva First Innovation Challenge to student competitions and the Human Rangoli, sought to strengthen the values of gratitude, innovation and collective action.

The event concluded with a renewed call for young citizens to contribute actively to the national development agenda and help realise the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047 through responsible citizenship and service to humanity.