OP Jindal University

Sonipat (Haryana) [India], September 30: 'India was under colonial domination for 190 years and it became a country with barely a 3% share of the global GDP from 25% contribution. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to office, India was a $2 trillion economy. Today it is a $4.3 trillion economy. We overtook the United Kingdom to become the fourth largest economy. India grew at the rate of 7.8% last quarter. These changes that are taking place, are technology-driven, by education, skills, innovation and though quite challenging we have the resilience and the confidence in the future,' said Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri, Hon'ble Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Government of India at the Arun Jaitley Memorial Lecture India@2047: Towards Fulfilling the Vision of Viksit Bharat.

'More than 270 million people were lifted out of what is called multi-dimensional poverty during the last decade. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which were coming to an end during my tenure at the United Nations (UN), paved the way for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and it was understood that development had to come from the grassroots. It became apparent that if the SDGs were to succeed, India had to succeed. We have gone first into women-centred development and then we've transformed into women-led development. The sanitation campaign which is now central to all the urban and rural schemes is about giving dignity to the girl child. Furthermore, under the Pradhan Mantri affordable housing scheme, the title of the house would be in the in the name of the lady of the house. Why? Because invariably, in the event of domestic discord, it's a woman who gets shortchanged. Once the title of the house is in the name of the lady of the house, it gives some, if not a total guarantee of security. This is women-centred development.'

'Once the census is complete and we get the delimitation of constituencies, there will be 33.3% of seats reserved in the legislative assemblies and in the central Parliament. Some of the most advanced countries in the world, the most developed countries do not have that. When it comes to development and developing a country by 2047, education is essential. Schools of learning are also becoming centres of innovation,' he said.

As part of the government led by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Mr. Puri has been associated with Ministries of Housing & Urban Affairs, Commerce & Civil Aviation and is now Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, driving India's journey towards energy security and green energy transition with landmark innovations. Before joining the government, and after retiring from the Indian Foreign Service Mr. Puri was also a part of a think tank called International Peace Institute.

Recalling the contribution of Mr. Arun Jaitley, Dr Puri said, 'As a young activist, he identified himself with democracy and freedom. He was imprisoned for 18 months during the Emergency. He identified himself with the kind of India we are trying to build, anchored in the rule of law. He was a student, a democrat, a lawyer and a politician. He was an inspiration to many in my generation. There were points on which we happily and democratically disagreed and we did so given the freedoms that we had.'

Mr. Arun Jaitley was an Indian lawyer, politician, and government official who served as leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Rajya Sabha between 2009-14. In 2014 he joined the cabinet of the BJP-led government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In 2020 he was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan, one of India's highest civilian honours.

In his Welcome Remarks, Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University said, 'I want to express my deep sense of gratitude for Dr Hardeep Puri's encouragement and support for university and for all the effort that he has taken to personally be with us given the demands on his time. He is a technocrat-turned-scholar politician after a long career as a civil servant and diplomat to transition effectively into politics and has held multiple portfolios showcasing adaptability and resilience. He oversaw the Central Vista project, revamp of the parliament and central government buildings, a highly visible and ambitious infrastructure undertaking but he navigated and built consensus and it is now one of the most remarkable projects in post-independent India. His capacity to operate under extreme pressure, coordinate across ministries and diplomacy and deliver on time in crisis situations underscores his strength in both public service and executive action. He has always demonstrated the best that India can offer to the world with his ability to understand public policy and to articulate it effectively.'

Reflecting on the contributions of Mr. Arun Jaitley, Professor R. Sudarshan, Dean, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy said, 'Arun Jaitley was elected in 1974 as the Delhi University Students Union president. He was a feisty, speaker and a student leader. Soon after that, Mrs. Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency and he was jailed under the notorious Maintenance of Internal Security Act. He was the leader of the opposition from 2009 to 2014. He was a true parliamentarian who respected the institution. He was also a great lawyer. In his parliamentary career he had no adversaries in that sense and shared a camaraderie with people from all parties.'

The Introductory Remarks were made by Professor (Dr.) Mohan Kumar, Dean, Strategic & International Initiatives who said, 'Dr. Hardeep Puri has been an exceptional officer of the Indian Foreign Service and now an exceptional minister given to intellectual rigour with a tremendous will to learn.' Dr's Mohan's remarks were replete with anecdotes from the time they shared during the foreign service and the immense learning and leadership skills he imbibed from the Hon'ble Minister.

The Q&A Session was moderated by Professor Ambreen Khan, Adjunct Professor of Practice and the Concluding Remarks were delivered by Professor (Dr.) Upasana Mahanta, Dean, Admissions & Outreach, O.P. Jindal Global University.

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