The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee on Monday (September 10, 2012) called upon members of Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) to do their utmost to instill confidence amongst entrepreneurs and leaders of Industry and Business in the bright future of Indian Economy.

Expressing confidence that the people of India working together can overcome all difficulties, the President said he has seen the transformation of the Indian economy at close quarters over decades and even though the country is going through a difficult situation, he remains an 'incorrigible optimist'. He said when he sees the face of young men and women in India and witnesses their indomitable spirit, he is confident India can conquer and overcome all difficulties. He also added that the older generation should vacate space for the younger generation. He praised CII for its contribution to India's development story and said that many times in the past the views and approach of CII at times of gloom rekindled his optimism.

The President further specially congratulated the young men and women from North-east of India and complimented them for having proven their excellence in civil services, industry, management and entrepreneurship. He described M.C. Mary Kom as a wonderful example of the young men and women of the North-east and said their story was the story of resurgent India. Seeing them, he was confident that success would belong to India very soon.

This release issued at 2045 hrs