Naidu urges tribal communities to seize opportunities, aid nation-building
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said Sunday that tribal communities had immense potential to achieve remarkable heights when given the right opportunities.
Naidu was addressing the World Tribal Day programme at Ambedkar Kala Vedika here.
The chief minister said tribal communities lived in harmony with nature while preserving their rich cultural heritage and traditions.
He cited President Droupadi Murmu's journey from an ordinary tribal woman to a minister and governor in Odisha, and eventually the President of India, as an example of what determination and opportunity can achieve.
Determination builds self-confidence and helps people scale greater heights, Naidu said, citing former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as leaders who rose from humble backgrounds.
He called on people to recognise their role in bringing about change and to resolve to contribute to the country's development. Ahead of Independence Day, he urged people to adopt the spirit of "I, my country, my state, my village and my family" and focus on what they could contribute to society and the nation.
Serving the country did not necessarily mean fighting a war at the border, Naidu said. A tribal farmer who improved agricultural production, or a woman earning a livelihood through self-employment, was also contributing to the nation, he said.
"Whether a student, teacher, employee, businessman or labourer, everyone can contribute to the nation by working with dedication and to the best of their ability," Naidu said.
People could also serve society by protecting nature, safeguarding the environment or conserving water, he said, adding that just as the state and the country had development goals, every individual should have a vision for their own future.
Naidu noted that Prime Minister Modi had set out the Viksit Bharat vision, while he himself had outlined the 2047 Swarna (Golden) Andhra vision for the state.
He urged people to reflect on how they could contribute to the nation and to draw inspiration from the national flag while setting their goals.
Personal success was also an important part of nation-building, Naidu said, adding that every working individual contributed to society. He described service to society as the highest form of patriotism, saying the progress of every individual ultimately contributed to the progress of the country.
(Inputs from PTI)
