At IIT Delhi’s 57th convocation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a 57-minute address packed with practical wisdom for graduates stepping into the real world. Here are seven inspirational moments that stood out.
PM Modi addresses graduates at IIT Delhi’s 57th convocation. Photo: IIT Delhi / Indian Express
1. Take care of your mental and physical health
In this fast-moving world, while building our careers, chasing our dreams and dealing with studies, we often forget to take care of ourselves.
PM Modi shared a simple but important message with the graduates: don’t neglect your mental and physical health while pursuing your ambitions.
Success means little if you lose yourself along the way.
2. Life is all about the “out of syllabus”
As the graduates step into the next phase of their lives, PM Modi reminded them that life is largely “out of syllabus.”
You won’t always have predefined questions with predefined answers.
He stressed that true success lies not merely in answering questions that have already been asked, but in identifying and solving problems that society has accepted without questioning.
Many successful IIT alumni, he said, succeeded because they had the courage to identify questions that the world had stopped asking.
PM Modi at the 57th Convocation Ceremony of IIT Delhi. Photo: IANS
3. Become better every day
Success isn’t just about reaching a destination.
It is also about constantly working on yourself and becoming a better version of yourself every day.
Small improvements, repeated consistently, can eventually create a big difference.
4. Break big problems into smaller ones
Difficulties are an inevitable part of life. But with every difficulty, new opportunities can also emerge.
The key is to stay alert and avoid looking at a problem as one giant challenge.
Break it down into smaller components, solve them one by one, and keep moving forward.
5. Your competition is with yourself
In the age of social media, it is easy to compare yourself with everyone around you — their salaries, careers, lifestyles and achievements.
PM Modi reminded the graduates not to get trapped by this constant comparison or by the glorification of success on social media.
Your biggest competition isn’t someone else.
It is the person you were yesterday.
Glimpses from the ceremony as graduates begin a new chapter. Photo: IANS
6. Don’t be afraid to question what everyone accepts
One of the strongest messages from the speech was the importance of questioning the status quo.
The world doesn't always need people who simply follow existing paths. Sometimes, progress begins when someone asks a question that everyone else has stopped asking.
The courage to question can lead to the courage to create.
7. Keep moving forward, even when the path changes
The transition from college to the real world rarely goes exactly according to plan.
There will be unexpected challenges, failures and opportunities that were never part of the original plan.
The important thing is to stay adaptable, remain alert and keep moving forward.
This 57-minute speech was more than a convocation address. It was a collection of practical life lessons for young people stepping into the real world. Thanks to PM Modi for sharing the wisdom.