19 children awarded with Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar by President Droupadi Murmu
The President said this awards ceremony is an opportunity to encourage the amazing potential and talent of young achievers.
Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar: President Droupadi Murmu handed over Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar to the 19 children at a function held in New Delhi on Monday. One each child in the categories of Courage, Science and Technology and Innovation; four children in the Social Services category; five children in the Sports category and seven children in the Art and Culture category received the prize.
During his speech, the President said this awards ceremony is an opportunity to encourage the amazing potential and talent of young achievers. It is also an opportunity to celebrate children's achievements. She appreciated all the children for their excellent work.
The President said our children have versatile talents. They have enormous potential to create their own identity through dedication and hard work. It is our duty to point them in the right direction so that they can make good use of their talent and energy.
The President said that today India has an invaluable resource in the form of a large number of youth. This resource can play an important role in the progress of not only India but the entire world. We need to empower our youth to use technology. They must be encouraged to innovate and enterprising. Only then can they take their rightful place in this rapidly changing world.
The President said children today are tech-savvy. They use technology for their education. But technology is also often misused. Many crimes such as deep fakes, financial fraud and child exploitation are committed through technology. She stated that social media is a powerful medium to express one's views and spread awareness among people on any issue, but it is also misused to spread rumours. She advised children to be alert and stay away from malpractice as one wrong step can jeopardize their future.
The president noted that physical activities are declining among younger generations. She said that due to less physical activity, many diseases that used to be very rare in children and young people are now on the rise. She appealed to the youth to learn and participate in at least one sport. She said they may not consider sports as a career, but sports keep them physically and mentally healthy. This develops the team spirit in them.
The President said children and youth are the leaders of our country's future. We need to make them aware of Indian culture and life values and provide them with modern education. Referring to the dedication of Prabhu Shri Ram's idol in Ayodhya, she said that on this occasion we must resolve to adopt the ideals of Lord Ram and the life values described in Ramayana in our lives.