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| Knowledge makes you great | | "Ignited mind of the youth, is the most
powerful resource on the earth,
above the earth and under the earth" I am delighted to participate in the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Janki Devi Memorial College (JDMC) founded by the famous Gandhian Shri Brij Krishan Chandiwala in memory of his mother Smt. Janki Devi for promoting women's education in Delhi. My greetings to the Principal, Faculty Members, Staff and Students of the JDMC during the Golden Jubilee Celebration. I greet all the pioneers who have contributed in establishing and transforming this College. | |
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| | From the website of the JDMC, I came to know about the rain water harvesting system created by the Faculty, Staff and the Students of the college. The unique feature of the college is the women's development centre which develops and disseminates knowledge regarding role of women in the present social context. I congratulate the members of JDMC for such thoughtful societal missions. While I am with you, I would like to talk on the topic "Knowledge makes you great". | |
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| Teacher's Day | | Today is the Teacher's Day, I greet the teachers of the nation and urge them for leading the nation to a knowledge society. So far during the last seven years, I would have met and interacted with over 4 million students and three lakh teachers at various occasions in schools, colleges, award functions and teacher's day functions. After the sessions with the teachers, I used to administer them all an eleven point oath. I would like to discuss with you the significance of each point in the oath, since it has got direct relationship in teaching and learning process of the students in our education system. Let us see what the oath is. | |
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| | Eleven Point Oath for Teachers
1. First and foremost, I will love teaching. Teaching will be my soul.
2. I realize that I am responsible for shaping not just students but ignited youths who are the most powerful resources under the earth, on the earth and above the earth. I will be fully committed for the great mission of teaching.
3. I will consider myself to be a great teacher for I can lift the average to the best performance by way of my special teaching.
4. All my actions with my students will be with kindness and affection like a mother, sister, father or brother.
5. I will organize and conduct my life, in such a way that my life itself is a message for my students.
6. I will encourage my students to ask questions and develop the spirit of enquiry, so that they blossom into creative enlightened citizens.
7. I will treat all the students equally and will not support any differentiation on account of religion, community or language.
8. I will continuously build the capacities in teaching so that I can impart quality education to my students.
9. I will celebrate the success of my students, with great élan.
10. I realize by being a teacher, I am making an important contribution to all the national development initiatives.
11. I will constantly Endeavour to fill my mind, with great thoughts and spread the nobility in thinking and action. | |
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| | I was always fortunate and blessed to have great teachers during every phase of my educational period between 1936 – 1957. Only some parts of their guidance in leading me to my mission in education and my mission in life and their inculcating in me a civilizational heritage and a value system were immediately obivious. But as I went through many phases of life as I have orbited around the earth for 76 years, I realize how their guidance stands in good stead in every phase of my knowledge acquisition and implementation. I can tell you the oath we have gone through has resulted from what I had experienced and what I have felt through my teachers. The first oath describes about the teacher loving teaching and teaching being the soul of the teacher. What is the significance of this? Here I would like to give the example of the beloved teacher who really loved teaching. | |
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| Teacher loves teaching | | It was the year 1936; I recall my initiation of education at the age of 5 years in Rameswaram Panchayat elementary school. I had a Teacher Muthu Iyer who took special interest on me mainly because I performed very well in a class exercise. He was impressed and next day he came to my house to tell my father that I was a very good student. My parents were happy and got my favourite sweet from my mother. I recall another important event while I was in first class, which I cannot forget. One day I did not turn up to my school. Teacher Muthu Iyer noticed my absence and the same evening he came to my father to ask what the problem was and why did I not go to school and whether he could do anything to help me. On that day, I was having fever. Another important aspect, which he noticed was that my hand writing was very poor. He gave a three page writing exercise and told my father that he should ensure that I do the exercise everyday regularly. By these actions of my teacher Muthu Iyer, my father told me in later years that teacher Muthu Iyer is not only a good teacher to me in teaching but he influenced and shaped me with good habits and he was a noble friend to my family. | |
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| | Even today I realize how my teacher loved teaching and took personal interest to bring up his pupils. Now let me talk about another teacher in my fifth class, who made me think not only about an immediate subject, but also a long term future. | |
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| Teacher encourages questions from Students | | I was studying in 5th class at the age of 10 (1941). I had a teacher, Shri Siva Subramania Iyer.. He was one of the very good teachers in our school. All of us loved to attend his class and hear him. One day he was teaching about bird's flight. He drew a diagram of a bird on the blackboard depicting the wings, tail and the body structure with the head. He explained how the birds create the lift and fly. He also explained to us how they change direction while flying. Nearly 25 minutes he gave the lecture with various information such as lift, drag and how the birds fly in a formation of 10, 20 or 30 etc. At the end of the class, he wanted to know whether we understood how the birds fly. I said I did not understand how the birds fly. When I said this, he asked the other students whether they understood or not. Many students said that they did not understand. Our teacher was a real teacher and very good teacher.. He did not get upset by our response. | |
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| | In view of this, my teacher said that he would take all of us to the sea shore. That evening the whole class was in the sea shore. We enjoyed the roaring sea waves knocking at the rocks in the pleasant evening. Birds were flying with sweet chirping voice. He showed the sea birds in formation in 10 to 20 numbers, we have seen the marvelous formation of birds with a purpose and we were all amazed. And we were simply looking at the formation. The teacher showed the birds and asked us to see when the birds fly, what it looked like. We saw the wings being flapped. He explained how the birds flapped the wings to generate the lift. He asked us to look at the tail portion with the combination of flapping wing and twisting tail. We noticed closely and found that the birds in that condition flew in the direction they wanted. Then he asked us a question, where the engine is and how it is powered. Bird is powered by its own life and the motivation what it wants. All these aspects were explained to us within 15 minutes. We all understood the whole bird dynamics with practical example. How nice it was? Our teacher was a great teacher; he could give as a theoretical lesson coupled with live practical example. This is real teaching. I am sure, many of the teachers in schools and colleges will follow this example. | |
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| | For me, it was not merely an understanding of how a bird flies. The bird's flight entered into me and created a feeling on the seashore of Rameswaram. From that day evening, I thought that my future study has to be with reference to something to do with flight. At that time, I did not realize that I have to go towards flight science. I am telling this because my teacher's teaching and the event that I witnessed inspired me to lead to the goal in life. Then one evening after the classes, I asked the teacher, "Sir, please tell me, how to progress further something to do with flight". He patiently explained to me that I should complete 8th class, and then go to high school, and then I should go to college that may lead to education of flight. If I do all these things I might do something connected with flight sciences. This advice and the bird flying exercise given by my teacher really gave me a goal and a mission for my life. When I went to college, I took Physics. When I went to engineering in Madras Institute of Technology, I took Aeronautical Engineering. | |
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| | Thus my life was transformed as a rocket engineer, aerospace engineer and technologist. That one incident of my teacher encouraging me to ask questions, showing the visual examples proved to be a turning point in my life which eventually shaped my profession. Shri Sivasubramania Iyer was an example for shaping not just students but igniting the youth both average and extraordinary by allowing them to ask questions and answering them till they fully understood. | |
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| Teacher puts the students ahead | | Now I would like to discuss about my mathematics teacher Prof Thothatri Iyengar. As a young science student, I had an opportunity at St. Joseph's College to witness a unique scene of divine looking personality walking through the college campus every morning, and teaching Mathematics to various degree courses. Students looked at the personality who was a symbol of our own culture, with awe and respect. When he walked, knowledge radiated all around. The great personality was, Prof Thothatri Iyengar, our teacher. At that time, 'Calculus Srinivasan who was my mathematics teacher, used to talk about Prof Thothatri Iyengar with deep respect. They had an understanding to have an integrated class by Thothatri Iyengar for first year B.Sc. (Hons) and first year B.Sc. (Physics). Thus, I had the opportunity to attend his classes, particularly on modern algebra, statistics and complex variables. When we were in the B.Sc first year, Calculus Srinivasan used to select top ten students to the Mathematics Club of St. Joseph's, whom were addressed by Prof Thothatri Iyengar. I still remember, in 1952, he gave a masterly lecture on ancient mathematicians and astronomers of India. In that lecture, he introduced four great mathematicians and astronomers of India, which is still ringing in my ears. They are Aryabhata, Srinivasa Ramanujan, Brahmagupta, Bhaskaracharya. Let me discuss one great soul. | |
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| | Prof. Thothatri Iyengar explained, based on his analysis, that Aryabhata was both an astronomer and mathematician, born in 476 AD in Kusuma-pura (now called Patna). He was known to represent a summary of all Maths at that point of time. Just when he was only 23 years old, he wrote his book ARYABHATIYAM in two parts. He covered important areas like arithmetic, algebra (first ever contributor), trigonometry and of course, astronomy. He gave formulae for the areas of a triangle and a circle and attempted to give the volumes of a sphere and a pyramid. He was the first to give value of pie. He discovered that the earth takes about 365 days to orbit around the sun. Prof. Thothatri Iyengar always puts the student to take a pride in India's contribution in astronomy and mathematics and puts the students ahead. This great teacher combined his knowledge of science with his deep insight into many aspects of our civilizational heritage. Prof. Thothatri Iyengar was an example for continuously building capacities among students and putting the students well ahead in mathematical sciences. He also injected great thoughts in the minds of students and promoted nobility in thinking and action. As you have seen, I have given some examples from my own life, how teachers can equip you with knowledge for the present, with the back ground of the past and give a vision for the future. | |
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| Knowledge Society | | Now let me discuss with you friends, emerging knowledge society. During the last century the world has undergone a change from agriculture society, where manual labour was the critical factor, to industrial society where the management of technology, capital and labour provided the competitive advantage. Then the information era was born, last decade, where connectivity and software products are driving the economy of a few nations. In the 21st century, a new society is emerging where knowledge is the primary production resource instead of capital and labour. Efficient utilisation of this existing knowledge can create comprehensive wealth of nations and also improve the quality of life - in the form of better health, education, infrastructure and other social indicators. Ability to create and maintain the knowledge infrastructure, develop knowledge workers and enhance their productivity through creation, growth and exploitation of new knowledge will be the key factors in deciding the prosperity of this Knowledge Society. Teachers have a predominant role since they are building capacities in the young generation. | |
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| Mission of Teachers | | On this Teachers' Day, I would like to give a special message to the teachers of the nation. The teachers are required to build the capacities of inquiry, creativity, technology, entrepreneurial and moral leadership among the students through the education process. If we develop in all our students these five capacities, we will produce Autonomous Learner a self-directed, self controlled, lifelong learner who will have the capacity to both respect authority and at the same time is capable of questioning authority, in an appropriate manner. These would enable them to grow as leaders who would work together as a Self-organizing Network and contribute to national and global development. To develop the capacities among students, the teachers have to develop in themselves the know how and strategies to be adopted in the class room. | |
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| | For example: to develop research and enquiry among the students, the teacher should only pose questions, they should never give the answer, immediately. At best they should give the route to the answer, so that from the beginning, the students develop the inclination to have an enquiring mind. For promoting creativity and innovation, teacher has to continuously be creative in the class room in their communication process and also be innovative in putting across the subject, so that even perceived dry subjects are made interesting to the students. Teachers should cultivate the habit of reading great books and constantly encourage students to do so. For use of technology, teachers should be adequately equipped to make use of the internet and constantly bring out new references and latest happenings in the subject of humanities and commerce. The entrepreneurial leadership can be taught by the teacher himself or herself being enterprising in all the dealings of the class, particularly in relation to management of time and motivation of students. The moral leadership can be taught by the personal example of the teacher in their dealing with students, peers, elders, citizens and the members of their families. | |
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| | In addition to the above, I would suggest the teachers to analyze the oath which I will be giving to the students an oath at the end of my talk and facilitate them to bring the contents of the oath in their day to day practice. This will be a very important development in the students career. | |
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| Knowledge | | Knowledge is the foundation of knowledge society. While I am with you friends, I would like to discuss about knowledge. Knowledge has three components, creativity, righteousness and courage.. That the combination of these characteristics can generate enlightened citizens. Let us look at the first component creativity: | |
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| | "Learning gives creativity
Creativity leads to thinking
Thinking provides knowledge
Knowledge makes you great" | |
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| | The next component of knowledge is righteousness. The power of Righteousness is described in a divine hymn, which is as follows: Righteousness
Where there is righteousness in the heart
There is beauty in the character.
When there is beauty in the character,
There is harmony in the home.
When there is harmony in the home.
There is order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation,
There is peace in the world.
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| | It is a beautiful connectivity between heart, character, nation and the world. In a society we have to build righteousness among all its constituents. For the society as a whole to be righteous we need creation of righteousness in family, righteousness in education, righteousness in service, righteousness in career, righteousness in business & industry, righteousness in civil administration, righteousness in politics, righteousness in government, righteousness in law and order, righteousness in justice. In addition to righteousness in multiple dimensions in the society, we need courage. | |
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| | The third component is courage, which is defined as follows: COURAGE
Courage to think different,
Courage to invent,
Courage to travel into an unexplored path,
Courage to discover the impossible,
Courage to combat the problems
And Succeed,
Are the unique qualities of the youth.
As a youth of my nation, I will work and work with courage to achieve success in all the missions.
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| | Hence friends, now you realize, equation for the knowledge is: Knowledge = creativity + righteousness + Courage. Now the teachers and educators have the task of imparting real knowledge to the students. | |
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| Emerging women | | While I am with the motivated students and faculty members of JDMC, I would like to share with you the thought process of the great poet Mahakavi Subramanya bharathiyar on this occasion who in 1910 composed the poem envisioning women of India. When I visited his granddaughter Smt. Lalitha Bharathiyar on 25 July 2008, she recited the great song of 1910 on emerging women:
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 | | | This beautiful poem brings out the profile of emerging women. Emerging Women
She walks with raised head,
With her eyes looking straight,
She has her principles,
Unafraid of anybody!
She has a lofty
And knowledge based pride,
Such cultured women,
Don't falter from the chosen path.
She drives ignorance away.
She welcomes the bliss of life.
With learned mind,
This is the Dharma
Of emerging woman.
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| | The dream of the poet, I am sure, will become a reality of life for the students of this college. | |
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| Conclusion: Empowering Women | | When the child is empowered by the parents, at various phases of growth, the child transforms into a responsible citizen. When the teacher is empowered with knowledge and experience, good young human beings with value systems take shape. When individual or a team is empowered with technology, transformation to higher potential for achievement is assured. When the leader of any institution empowers his or her people, leaders are born who can change the nation in multiple areas. When the women are empowered, society with harmony in the home is assured. When the political leaders of the nation empower the people through visionary policies, the prosperity of the nation is certain. | |
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| | While concluding I would suggest that the students assembled here choose and fix an aim in life. Let that become the mission of your life and you continuously acquire knowledge to realize the goal. Work hard for your goal with patience and perseverance. While you are working for your goal, you are bound to face hurdles and problems. You do not allow problems to become your master. You become master of the situation and defeat the problem and succeed. This is the secret of success in all your missions. | |
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| | Now, I would like to administer a six point Oath to the students of JDMC.
Six Point Oath
1 I will bring a change in the life of 100 women in education, employment or healthcare.
2 I will promote among women courage and self reliance in their walk of life.
3 I will work continuously to remove dowry system and participate in elimination of crime against women and children.
4 I will promote among citizens, righteousness in the heart that will blossom the beauty in the character.
5 I will light the lamp of knowledge in the nation and ensure that it remains lit for ever.
6 Wherever I will be, I will always be remembered by my education and work as a present or alumni of JDMC. | |
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| | With these words, once again let me greet all the members of JDMC during the Golden Jubilee Celebrations. My best wishes to all the members of this college success in their mission of empowering women through value based education.
May God bless you.
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| | Recommended books for the students
1 Lillian Eichler Watson - Light from Many Lamps: A Treasury of Inspiration
2 Denis Waitley, Empires of the Mind: Lessons To Lead And Succeed In A Knowledge-Based World
3 Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi (Author), Mahadev H. Desai (Author) - Gandhi An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments With Truth
4 Howard Gardner - Five Minds for the future
5 Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, How I came to write the "Gita Rahasya | |
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| Questions from the Students | | Chandani Duggal, B.Com(H) III year Section – A
Q 1 Do you think India will be a Superpower by 2020?
Ans. India will be an economically developed nation with value system derived from our civilizational heritage by 2020. Meaning, the people living below poverty line will be nearly zero and there will be nearly 100% literacy. Healthcare will be available to all. Energy and water will be accessible equitably both in rural and urban areas. The difference between rural and urban India will almost vanish. Rural and urban India will be empowered with PURA (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) | |
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| | Shilpa Maggo, B.Com(H) III year Section – A
Q.2 Do you think should the government use the public private partnership model for improving educational Infrastructure?
Ans. Yes, it already prevalent in university education. It should be used, so that the students get the best of education and entrepreneurial and employable capacity. Education should be at an affordable cost. Loan must be available for education. | |
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| | Swati, B.Com(H) III year Section – A
Q.3 Does India need tougher anti-terror laws?
Ans. Regarding eradication of terrorism, I have suggested promotion of a National Campaign for Eradication of Terrorism (NCET). I believe, time has come, apart from our multiple agencies forecasting and handling of the terrorist activities, we need to evolve an aggressive Mission called National Campaign to Eradicate Terrorism (NCET), with mission oriented integrated management structure, duly passed as a Bill by the Parliament.
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| | Under the NCET Bill, we need to bring out the following:
1. Creation of unified intelligence Agency across the country, empowering them to deal with the State and Central Government intelligence agencies under one roof of administration with the latest technological tools and devices.
2. Enact a law which will provide stringent punishments and faster justice to the perpetrators of the crime in a time bound manner.
3. Create a sense of awareness among the people to work together in identifying these incidents and eliminating these tendencies with transparent procedures to inform the intelligence agencies and work with intelligence agencies to combat the terrorism.
4. Implement National Citizen ID card for all the transactions with the Government services, Business services and private services at the earliest.
5. Equitable National development for inclusive growth: Central and State Governments should reorient their administrative mechanisms to ensure that the development reaches all sections of the society equitably for achieving inclusive growth and ensure that none in the society feels alienated socially, economically and politically. | |
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| | I am suggesting the evolution of NCET Mission to be around action oriented people of highest integrity and competence drawn from multiple functional areas, committed to the vision of NCET to eradicate terrorism as a time bound mission. We must do this with a great sense of urgency for "When evil minds combine, good minds have to work together to combat". Hence the mission of NCET. | |
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| | Richa, B.Com(H) III year Section – A
Q.4 Do you think we have been able to overcome our mindset on the caste system, religious divide issues?
Ans. As the intensity of development increases and employment and entrepreneurial opportunities become available equitably to all, the mind set on social and religious issues. Higher the economic growth intensity of caste system will reduce. | |
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| | Priya, B.Com(H) III year Section – A
Q.5 Why men are more than women in politics? Why politics is male dominated?
Ans. Let me ask the question, how many of you would join politics after completion of your studies? It is because large number of women have not come forward to join politics. Now, there is awakening and equal number of men and women are joining politics. | |
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| | Tuhina, B.A. (Prog) III year
Q. 6 We always think of making India a better place to live. Why don't we do something to make sure that all those who represent and rule and country are educated upto a certain level.
Ans. Progressively, the number of MPs and MLAs with quality education is increasing over the years. It is for the electorate to decide about whom they should elect. | |
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| | Suman Syan, B.A. (Prog) III year
Q.7 We all know that our nation has changed by leaps and bounds, in these 62 years of freedom. Do you think the laws in the constitution which were set 60 years ago should be altered accordingly to the present generation?
Ans. Our Constitution has passed the test of time. Wherever there has been need for change, they have been amended also. It is well suited for governing the country of billion democratic people.
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| | Swati, B.A. (Prog) III year
Q.8 You have been an accomplished writer and your books 'Ignited Minds' and 'Wings of Fire' have been read and acknowledged by one and all. What actually was your motive behind writing these books? In what way did you want your readers to perceive your writing?
Ans. These two books have been written based on my experience in different phases of life. I felt these experiences will give courage at least few of my country citizens. | |
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| | Aruna Netika Lumb, B.Com(H) III year Section – A
Q.9 Do you think signing the Nuclear Deal is a progressive step and will have more pros than cons for a developing country?
Ans. Yes. Mutually agreed nuclear deal between India US, will be useful. Highest priority for our country should be self reliance in nuclear power generation through thorium based nuclear reactors. | |
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| | Tanya Talwar, English (Hons) II year
Q.10- In what ways the Indo-American Nuclear Deal will contribute to our country and the life of the common man?
Ans. We have 14 nuclear reactors based on uranium fuel. Another 6 reactors will be added shortly for power generation. Uranium material we do not have sufficient quantity, whereas we have large reserves thorium ore. Thorium is not a fissile material. We have to convert thorium mineral using fast breeder reactor as a fissile material apart from many processes. India is working on this development. It will take less than a decade.. Till then, we have to have uranium about power of uranium power plant. Hence, the US India nuclear pact will be useful. | |
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