Treat demographic dividend as demographic responsibility: J&K L-G to youth

Jammu: J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday called upon youth to treat the demographic dividend of India as a demographic responsibility.

The Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, addressed the first convocation of Cluster University of Jammu. He said the graduating students of this maiden convocation are the pioneering torchbearers of the university’s tradition, and congratulated all graduates, gold medallists and their parents.

Governor of Tamil Nadu, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, also graced the occasion. The Lieutenant Governor specially complimented the women students, noting that 130 of the 163 gold medals had been won by daughters. He observed that when given opportunities, daughters do not merely attain positions but redefine the meaning of achievement.

He said their gold medals are badges of confidence for generations to come.

“Daughters across higher-education institutions in Jammu Kashmir are writing new chapters of success in their own names,” the L-G said.

He highlighted the intellectual heritage of Jammu Kashmir and noted that Maharishi Kalhana, author of the Rajatarangini, Maharishi Abhinavagupta, and the saint-poets Yogini Lalleshwari and Sheikh-ul-Alam, promoted harmony among faiths and the pursuit of truth.

He said the graduates were carrying forward a tradition of knowledge more than a thousand years old.

The Lieutenant Governor said India now has nearly 223,000 startups and 135 unicorns, and that many founders come from small towns, reflecting a genuine democratisation of opportunity and entrepreneurship.

Offering a fresh perspective on the “demographic dividend”, the Lieutenant Governor said he preferred to call it a demographic responsibility.

On artificial intelligence, he said the relationship between AI and humans would be one of partnership, not competition. He noted that AI will change the way we work, but determining the purpose of work will remain a human responsibility.

The Lieutenant Governor also observed that AI can provide new answers based on old knowledge, but the courage to discover new questions will remain with human beings.

“AI will have speed and data, but humans will provide direction, compassion and the courage to ask new questions. AI should be guided by civilisational norms, values and accountability, and that its development should rest on human welfare, not just profit and productivity,” he said.

On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor also gave five resolutions to the students. First, never stop learning, create opportunities rather than only seek them, uphold honesty and ethics, support those who follow, and express love for the nation through action.

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