New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he believed in the capabilities and confidence of Gen-Z, encouraging them to strive for national development through hard work and discipline to fulfil the goal of Viksit Bharat (developed India).
Addressing the national programme of the Veer Bal Diwas in Delhi, Modi advised young people to approach big challenges without caring about their age.
“So many young people are present here. In a way, all of you are ‘Gen-Z’, ‘Gen-Alpha’. Your generation will take India to the goal of a developed India. I see and understand Gen-Z’s capabilities and your confidence, and therefore, I have great faith in you. Age doesn’t determine who is small or who is big. You become big through your deeds and achievements. Even at a young age, you can do such work that others draw inspiration from you,” Modi said.
“Gen Z and Gen Alpha will lead India to the goal of a Viksit Bharat.”
Gen Z refers to people born between 1997 and 2012, and Gen Alpha to those born between 2013 and 2025.
He advised young people not to be distracted by “short-term popularity,” encouraging them to learn from great personalities who contributed to nation-building. Noting that the National Democratic Alliance government overcame an atmosphere of “despair and hopelessness” with initiatives that transformed India, Modi shared that now the youth have the opportunity to make progress in every field.
“Previously, young people were even afraid to dream, because the old systems had created an environment where it seemed nothing good could ever happen. An atmosphere of despair and hopelessness prevailed everywhere. People even started to think, “What’s the point of working hard?” But today, the country seeks out talent and provides them with a platform. The strength of 1.4 billion countrymen is behind their dreams,” he said.
At the event, 20 children from across the country were awarded the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) for their remarkable achievements in bravery, social service, environment, sports, art & culture, and science & technology. Among this year’s winners were Vaka Lakshmi Pragnika (7), a world champion chess prodigy in the U-7 girls category; Ajay Raj (9), who saved his father from a crocodile attack; and Esther Lalduhawmi Hnamte (9) from Mizoram, whose patriotic songs went viral nationwide. Others included Mohammed Sidan P (11), who rescued two friends from electrocution; Vyoma Priya (9), who lost her life while saving a younger child; Shravan Singh (10), who supported Indian soldiers near the border during Operation Sindoor by delivering water, milk and lassi to them, and cricket prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (14).
President Droupadi Murmu said the award winners had brought pride to their families, community and the nation. “ “I congratulate all the children. All children have brought pride to their families, their communities, and the entire country. This will inspire other children in the country...The greatness of a country is certain when its children are filled with patriotism and high ideals.” the President said.
During his address, Modi said that on Veer Bal Diwas, the country remembers the brave Sahibzades, sons of tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh. “These Sahibzades broke the boundaries of age and stage, standing like a rock against the cruel Mughal empire, shaking the very existence of religious fanaticism and terror. A nation with such a glorious past, whose young generations inherit such inspiring legacies, is capable of achieving anything. Whenever December 26 arrives, I feel assured that the government has begun celebrating Veer Bal Diwas inspired by the valor of the Sahibzades. In the past four years, this new tradition has carried the inspiration of the Sahibzades to the younger generation and has created a platform for building courageous and talented youth,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that Veer Bal Diwas is a day filled with emotion and reverence. “Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji, Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh Ji, and Sahibzada Fateh Singh Ji at a very young age had to confront the greatest power of their time. Their struggle was between the fundamental ideas of India and religious fanaticism, between truth and falsehood, with one side led by 10th Guru Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji and the other by the cruel rule of Aurangzeb. Although the Sahibzades were very young, Aurangzeb was determined to break the morale of Indians to force conversions, and thus targeted them. Aurangzeb and his commanders forgot that Guru Gobind Singh Ji was no ordinary man but the embodiment of penance and sacrifice, and the Sahibzades inherited this legacy. Despite the entire Mughal empire’s might, not one of the four Sahibzades wavered,” he said.
The PM emphasised that the saga of the Sahibzades’ sacrifice should have been on the lips of every citizen, but unfortunately, even after independence, the colonial mindset prevailed. He pointed out that this mentality was sown by British reformer Thomas Macaulay in 1835 and was not allowed to be eradicated even after independence, leading to decades of attempts to suppress the truth. PM Modi stated that by 2035, the country will have achieved complete liberation from the colonial mindset.
“India has now resolved to free itself from the colonial mindset. The memories of Indian sacrifices and valor will no longer be suppressed and the nation’s heroes and heroines will no longer be sidelined. This is why Veer Bal Diwas is being celebrated with full devotion and spirit. In 2035, it will be 200 years since Macaulay’s conspiracy, and with 10 years remaining, India will demonstrate complete liberation from the colonial mindset. Once the nation is free from this mindset, it will take greater pride in indigenous traditions and advance further on the path of self-reliance, “he said
Modi said that a glimpse of the campaign to remove colonial mindset was recently visible in Parliament, where during the winter session, MPs delivered nearly 160 speeches in Indian languages apart from Hindi and English. He highlighted that around 50 speeches were in Tamil, more than 40 in Marathi, and about 25 in Bangla, noting that such a scene is rare in any parliament in the world.