Indians excelling globally but why country still 'developing' not 'developed': CM Atishi

New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Friday lauded the success of Indian nationals globally, but asked why India still remains a 'developing' country despite the achievements of its citizens internationally.

Addressing the 25th foundation day celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University here, she said that students from this university are making a name for themselves in the country and globally.

“The university offers 190 academic programs across 40 disciplines, and currently, over 90,000 students are enrolled here. It is not only Delhi's largest university but might also be one of the largest in the country," she said.

Atishi lauded that achievements of Indian-origin professionals globally, noting that many leading tech companies have Indian CEOs. She cited the example of Chanel, world's number one perfume company, and said its CEO is of Indian origin.

Similarly, in major hospitals in Canada, England, and elsewhere, most departmental heads are Indians. Indians are not just excelling globally, but also leading in fields like medicine, technology, art, and music, she said.

"Seeing Indians achieve so much worldwide evokes two sets emotions in me. First, I feel immense pride. Second, I wonder, if our people can achieve such great success, why is our country still classified as developing and not developed," Atishi added. The chief minister shared that when she was in school social science books predicted that India would become a developed nation by 2020, however in 2024 the country is still a developing nation.

She attributed the country's "developing" status to the lack of prioritisation of education in the past. The countries that gained independence along with India in 1947, are now developed because they prioritised education, she shared.

Atishi emphasised the transformation in government schools under the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) tenure since 2015.

Government schools in the city were in a dismal state, with toilets emitting a foul smell, desks and tables missing, and windows broken. Teachers were often assigned election or polio duties, preventing them from focusing on their students, she said.

"After ten years of education revolution under Delhi Government the governments schools have witnessed great transformation and have similar facilities as private schools," she added.

Atishi said that students from these schools are performing exceptionally well in Class 10 and 12 exams and are now securing admission to IP University with outstanding performance.

This educational revolution is not limited to schools but is also evident in higher education, and IP University is a shining example of it, she said.

The Chief minister shared that in 2014, before AAP's education revolution only 83,600 students were enrolled in technical and higher education institutions under the Delhi government.

After 10 years of effort, 1,55,000 students are studying in these universities, she added.

"Now, along with traditional degrees like BA and B.Com, students are pursuing advanced courses in fields like Robotics and Artificial Intelligence," she said. PTI SHB SHB OZ OZ OZ