The North News
New Delhi, July 18
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday called on India’s youth to become architects of a “Viksit Bharat” — a developed India — by 2047, as part of a long-term national vision laid out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking at the opening of the 2025 edition of the India’s International Movement to Unite Nations (IIMUN) Conference in Noida, Goyal encouraged students and young leaders to step into roles of responsibility, purpose and public service. His address was rooted in the framework of the Prime Minister’s ‘Panch Pran’ or Five Pledges — unveiled on Independence Day 2022 — which form the backbone of India’s vision for its centenary year of independence.
“These 25 years of Amrit Kaal are a defining moment in our national journey,” Goyal told a packed hall of youth delegates. “You will not just witness the transformation of India — you will drive it.”
He outlined the first of the pledges as a collective resolve to make India a developed nation. The second, he said, was the shedding of colonial mindsets that still limit ambition. “For centuries, India was held back by foreign domination. We must free ourselves from those psychological chains,” he said.
The third pledge centred on pride in Indian heritage — its diverse culture, traditions and values. “Vikas bhi, virasat bhi,” Goyal declared, meaning development must go hand-in-hand with the preservation of heritage.
The fourth pledge, unity and national integrity, was something he praised IIMUN for fostering through its pan-India and international participation. “Our diversity is not a challenge — it is our strength. Unity is fundamental to progress,” he said.
The fifth pledge, he explained, is the collective responsibility of all 1.4 billion Indians to commit themselves to the nation’s development. Goyal stressed that growth must be inclusive, caring for the marginalised and underprivileged, and built on compassion.
Goyal also paid tribute to teachers and mentors, calling their influence “a lifelong gift often only recognised later in life”. He urged young Indians to consider entering public life and governance, echoing Modi’s 2024 Independence Day appeal for one lakh young people to step into politics and policymaking.
“Be the changemakers, the movers and shakers of tomorrow’s India,” he said in his closing remarks. “Your commitment, your compassion, and your collective resolve will shape the India of 2047.”
