I am very happy to be amidst you all today and it is immensely satisfying to note that to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of our Independence, the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences has organized a Special Lecture: ‘Agriculture Cannot Wait’.

My Dear Fellow Citizens,

Hon'ble Vice President,

Hon'ble Prime Minister,

Chief Justice of India,

Speaker of Lok Sabha,

Members of the Union Council of Ministers,

Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha,

Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha,

Members of Parliament,

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Respected Surjit Singh Barnalaji, Governor of Tamil Nadu,

Shri Mani Shankar Aiyerji, Minister for Panchayati Raj, Youth Affairs and Sports, Govt. of India,

Shri M.A.A. Fatmi, Minister of State of Human Resource Development,

Smt. D. Purandeswari, Minister of State of Human Resource Development,

Dear Teachers,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all I would like to congratulate the teachers from different parts of the country who have received the National Awards for their meritorious work in the field of education.

Hon'ble Prime Minister,

Hon'ble Speaker of Lok Sabha,

Shrimati Sonia Gandhi ji, Chairman UPA

Shri Inder Kumar Gujral ji,

Dr. Balram Jakhar ji

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Shri Arjun Singhji, Minister of Human Resource Development,

Shri M.A.A. Fatmi, Minister of State of Human Resource Development,

Shrimati D. Purandeswari, Minister of State of Human Resource Development,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Smt. Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee, Vice Chairperson,

Dr. Savita Singh, Director,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am delighted to inaugurate an exhibition on the freedom struggle of India and to be here at the Gandhi Smriti today, the anniversary of the launch of the Satyagraha movement.

The fight for the freedom of India was a long journey and the Independence of India was won on the basis of Ahimsa and Satyagraha.

Hon'ble Vice-President,

Hon'ble Prime Minister,

Hon'ble Speaker of the Lok Sabha,

Hon'ble Members of Parliament,