Good Governance Day: Delhi Minister distributes tablets to 240 meritorious students in Janakpuri

New Delhi, Dec 25 (PTI) Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Thursday distributed tablets to 240 meritorious students from the Janakpuri Assembly constituency to promote digital empowerment, marking Good Governance Day, observed on the birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Speaking at the programme, Sood said Good Governance Day is observed to honour Vajpayee's leadership which laid the foundation for transparent and development-oriented governance in the country.

The event also featured persons with disabilities as special guests. He described them as a source of inspiration for students.

"These personalities have overcome significant challenges through determination and hard work, proving that limitations do not define one's abilities," he said.

The chief guest at the programme was IAS officer Ayushi Dabas, who secured the country's top rank in the persons with visual impairment category.

Disability rights activist Dr Abha Khetarpal, founder of Cross the Hurdles, and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) research scholar Shaurya Sood, who has worked on accessibility issues in educational institutions and public spaces, were also present, a statement said.

Sood said being honoured by such role models would motivate students to pursue their goals with confidence. He added that the tablet distribution was aimed at strengthening students' access to digital learning tools and online educational resources.

Under the scheme, the gadgets are provided annually to support self-learning and ensure continuity of education, even during disruptions such as school closures, he said.

Recalling Vajpayee's contributions, he said the former prime minister was an architect of modern India. He also credited Vajpayee for initiatives such as the national highways development and the conceptualisation of the Delhi Metro.

The minister said Vajpayee's vision, carried forward with the then Delhi chief minister Madan Lal Khurana, helped shape the city's transport infrastructure.

Sood also referred to the Pokhran nuclear tests, describing them as a “statement of India's scientific and technological strength under Vajpayee's leadership”.

He further said that the former prime minister’s emphasis on science, technology and good governance remains relevant, forming the basis for observing Good Governance Day. PTI SHB OZ OZ