Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini, at the 9th North East Students Festival, said the state is extending full support to youth from the region. He celebrated India's diversity, calling the Northeast 'Ashtalakshmi' and a key part of India's development.
A large number of youth from the Northeast are working in cities such as Gurugram, Faridabad and Sonipat in Haryana, and the state government is extending full support to them, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Saturday.
The Chief Minister, who attended the closing ceremony of the ninth edition of the North East Students Festival at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi Chief Guest, said India has many colours, many languages and many traditions, but the sentiments of all are one. This is the beauty of India's diversity.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Haryana Cabinet Minister Dr. Arvind Sharma were among those present on the occasion. According to a release, Rijiju praised the Haryana Chief Minister and said that the state government is ensuring security and providing support to people from the Northeast residing in cities such as Gurugram and Faridabad. They are not facing any kind of difficulty.
Northeast at the Forefront of India's Development
Saini said that the glow of the rising sun of Arunachal Pradesh, the vastness of the Brahmaputra of Assam, the sporting talent of Manipur, the musical harmony of Meghalaya's nature, the discipline of Mizoram, the cultural life of Nagaland, the peace of Sikkim and the warm traditions of Tripura were all coming together on this platform.
He said that this gathering does not showcase eight states, but One India, which has many colours, languages and traditions, yet one common sentiment. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling the eight states of the Northeast “Ashtalakshmi”, he said that it symbolises New India's confidence in the strength and potential of the Northeast.
Saini said that there was a time when the Northeast was viewed from the perspective of distance, but the picture has changed today. The Northeast is no longer a region standing on India's periphery; rather, it is at the forefront of the country's development journey.
Haryana as a Companion in Cultural Unity
He said that such events strengthen culture because culture is not merely about attire or dance, but a story passed on from one generation to another. Referring to the festival's theme, “The Living Heritage: Tradition That Builds Viksit Bharat”, he said that heritage does not mean holding the past back; rather, it means carrying it forward.
Saini said that it is a matter of pride for Haryana that it stands with the Northeast today. Haryana has come to this event not as a sponsor or partner state, but as a companion. He said that cultures, songs and attire may be different, but hard work, dreams and love for the country are the same.
He told the youth that they are not only the future of India but also its present, as they are creating campaigns, developing technology, winning medals and bringing new ideas.
A Message for India's Youth
He said that instead of merely watching or listening to a photograph, song or dance at the festival, one should understand its story and culture, because a strong emotional unity can be created only through friendship between the youth of two states.
Saini said that in the era of Artificial Intelligence, our question should not be, “Will AI take my job?”, but rather, “What can I do together with AI that I cannot do alone?” He said that youth should embrace technology and learn new skills, but make technology a companion and never outsource their humanity. Life should not be limited to salary, followers or likes, and one should not consider one's own life smaller by looking at someone else's journey.
He also appreciated the team of My Home India for organising the event. The Chief Minister said that failure is an event, not an identity. “Fall, rise, learn and move forward again,” he said, adding that India does not need perfect youth, but courageous youth.
Highlighting Haryana's Governance and Achievements
Highlighting the achievements of the Haryana Government, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that over the past 12 years, nearly 2 lakh youth have been provided government jobs on the basis of merit, without ‘parchi-kharchi’. The Foreign Cooperation Department has been established to provide youth with opportunities for education and employment abroad. Financial and technical assistance is being provided to youth through Haryana's new Startup Policy, as a result of which more than 12,000 startups have been established in the state.
In the field of education, under the target of opening government colleges within a radius of every 20 kilometres, 82 new government colleges have been opened in the last 12 years, of which 32 colleges are specifically for girls. Saini said that recently, at the 23rd Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow, out of the 39 medals won by India, 11 were won by players from Haryana.
Celebrating Northeast's Sporting Icons
He said that talent has no boundaries and no geography. Youth from the Northeast have enhanced the country's prestige through their hard work, determination and capability. In this context, he mentioned Manipur's Mirabai Chanu and Mary Kom, Assam's Lovlina Borgohain and Hima Das, Tripura's Dipa Karmakar, Mizoram's Jeremy Lalrinnunga and Sikkim's Baichung Bhutia. He said that the Northeast is not merely a land of natural beauty, but also a powerful centre of India's talent and hard work.
He expressed confidence that this friendship between the East and the West would build an India that is modern, confident, connected to its roots, developed and enriched by its diversity. (ANI)
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