NEW DELHI: Former ISRO chairman Dr S Somanath used his address at the 71st National Conference of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Friday to underline the co-existence of “faith and facts” in India’s scientific tradition, urging students to embrace both knowledge and cultural rootedness as the country pushes into a new technological era. Speaking at the General Bipin Rawat Auditorium in the tent city of Bhagwan Birsa Munda Nagar, he called the youth “the generation that will script India’s future”.“Faith and facts complement each other. Culture and innovation work hand in hand,” Somanath said, adding that India’s spiritual texts “contain insights into modern science and secrets about it”. He said knowledge in Indian tradition is viewed as “sacred” and acquired through tapas, while vigyan, sanskar and seva form the framework for national development.Pointing to India’s recent space achievements, he said: “We were the very first nation” to land a craft on the lunar south pole. He cited Aditya-L1, Gaganyaan, NISAR, SSLV and reusable rocket programmes as examples of India “showing the path to the world”. He also highlighted the rise of private space players such as Skyroot and Pixxel, saying they were “creating new stories”.On national capabilities, Somanath said Aadhaar-based services, UPI, cyber-physical integration and advances in defence technology had strengthened India’s strategic posture. Referring to Operation Sindoor, he noted, “We are strong enough to handle adversaries.”He emphasised that India’s future technology “should not be imported”, declaring that “they will be imagined, engineered, and perfected by the youth we have”. Calling this a generational moment, he added, “Bharat ek hai, aur isko ek rakhna yuvaon ki zimmedari hai.”Describing ABVP as “a movement, a mission, a national conscience”, he credited the organisation with shaping education policy, protecting cultural identity and strengthening unity campaigns. “The ABVP has done what other student organisations have not done,” he said.Somanath said India today possesses “moral clarity”, democratic stability and global technological heft. “This is the moment India has been waiting for for centuries. It has come… our time has come,” he told students, urging them to “dream big and be bold” as India moves toward its 2047 goals.About the AuthorManash Pratim GohainManash Pratim Gohain is a seasoned journalist with over two decades at The Times of India, where he has built a rich body of work spanning education policy, politics, and governance. Renowned for his incisive coverage of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, accreditation reforms, and skilling initiatives, he has also reported on student politics, urban policy, and social movements. His political reportage—both reflective and news-driven—adds depth to his writing, bridging policy with public impact. Through his 2,500 articles and related outlets, he has emerged as a trusted voice in national discourse, particularly in linking education reform to broader societal change.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosIndia’s Updated Quake Map Warns Entire Himalayan Arc Faces Major Risk, Forcing Urgent Safety Reforms’They Are Ours, We’ll Prove It’: Pakistani Leader’s Absurd Claim On ‘Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan’Cyclone Ditwah Intensifies, Monsoon Fury Slams Sri Lanka With At Least 56 Dead And Dozens MissingViral Video: Stage Crashes During UP Wedding As BJP Leaders Gather To Greet Bride & GroomIndia-Russia Summit Dates Out As PM Modi, Putin Review S-400, Su-57 And Global Security ChallengesGoldy Dhillon Gang Member Arrested In Delhi For Kapil Sharma’s Kap’s Cafe Shootings Across CanadaIndia Sends A Strong Warning: Rajnath Singh Says Sovereignty And Security Will Never Be NegotiableCongress, BJP Face Off Over Kumar Ketkar’s Controversial Remark CIA, Mossad Helped Modi Win in 2014Tejas Is The Safest, Says HAL Chief, Rejecting All Concerns After Dramatic Dubai Air Show AccidentPakistan Army General Warns Of Hybrid-To-Full War As Pakistan Reshapes Military Power Under Munir123Photostories5 places where the sun never sets (or never rises): How travellers experience it2025 Bollywood celebs baby name reveal posts: Sidharth Malhotra – Kiara Advani’s daughter Saraayah to Parineeti Chopra – Raghav Chadha’s son NeerSarayna Ponvannan, Samyuktha Shanmuganathan, Amala Paul: South actresses who found true love the second timeHow to grow Guava in a pot on your balconyEating sweet potatoes regularly? 7 health benefits of sweet potatoes on your blood sugarSaturday Remedies: 5 Powerful Remedies To Appease Shani Dev10 phrases that can affect a child’s mood and mental health‘Tere Ishq Mei’ promotions: Turn up the sass this shaadi season with Kriti Sanon’s ‘Mukti’-inspired traditional looksKonkona Sen Sharma radiates timeless grace and powerful screen presenceBest fruit for liver health? 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NEW DELHI: Former ISRO chairman Dr S Somanath used his address at the 71st National Conference of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Friday to underline the co-existence of “faith and facts” in India’s scientific tradition, urging students to embrace both knowledge and cultural rootedness as the country pushes into a new technological era. Speaking at the General Bipin Rawat Auditorium in the tent city of Bhagwan Birsa Munda Nagar, he called the youth “the generation that will script India’s future”.“Faith and facts complement each other. Culture and innovation work hand in hand,” Somanath said, adding that India’s spiritual texts “contain insights into modern science and secrets about it”. He said knowledge in Indian tradition is viewed as “sacred” and acquired through tapas, while vigyan, sanskar and seva form the framework for national development.Pointing to India’s recent space achievements, he said: “We were the very first nation” to land a craft on the lunar south pole. He cited Aditya-L1, Gaganyaan, NISAR, SSLV and reusable rocket programmes as examples of India “showing the path to the world”. He also highlighted the rise of private space players such as Skyroot and Pixxel, saying they were “creating new stories”.On national capabilities, Somanath said Aadhaar-based services, UPI, cyber-physical integration and advances in defence technology had strengthened India’s strategic posture. Referring to Operation Sindoor, he noted, “We are strong enough to handle adversaries.”He emphasised that India’s future technology “should not be imported”, declaring that “they will be imagined, engineered, and perfected by the youth we have”. Calling this a generational moment, he added, “Bharat ek hai, aur isko ek rakhna yuvaon ki zimmedari hai.”Describing ABVP as “a movement, a mission, a national conscience”, he credited the organisation with shaping education policy, protecting cultural identity and strengthening unity campaigns. “The ABVP has done what other student organisations have not done,” he said.Somanath said India today possesses “moral clarity”, democratic stability and global technological heft. “This is the moment India has been waiting for for centuries. It has come… our time has come,” he told students, urging them to “dream big and be bold” as India moves toward its 2047 goals.
