Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday urged the youth to dream big, work hard, and draw inspiration from India’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage while addressing the Lal Ded Literary Awards ceremony and the launch of Dr. Vaidehi Taman’s book, Lal Ded: The Mother of Kashmir, in Srinagar.
Speaking at the event, the Lieutenant Governor said that the youth are the builders of the nation’s future and should strive for excellence instead of settling for ordinary achievements. He emphasized that India’s progress has always been guided by a harmonious balance between scientific advancement and deep spiritual values.
Sinha said India’s greatest strength lies in its enduring spiritual, scientific, and cultural identity, which has been passed down through generations. He urged the younger generation not to let this legacy fade but to use it as a source of inspiration for innovation and to build a self-reliant Jammu and Kashmir.
Calling nation-building a shared responsibility, the Lieutenant Governor said every citizen has a role to play in shaping the country’s future. He stressed that patience, hard work, and collective effort are the foundations of national progress.
Highlighting India’s unique civilizational ethos, Sinha said the country’s traditions continue to unite people from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. He called upon writers, thinkers, artists, and educators to preserve and promote this shared heritage while encouraging young people to remain deeply rooted in their culture even as they embrace modernity.
He urged citizens to reconnect with forgotten aspects of their heritage, including languages, songs, stories, traditions, and local customs, and to pass them on to future generations.
The Lieutenant Governor lauded the contributions of writers, educators, and artists, saying their work enriches society and helps shape responsible citizens. He noted that literature nurtures compassion, while education imparts knowledge, and together they build a morally and socially responsible nation.
Addressing intellectuals, teachers, scientists, and creators, Sinha made five key appeals: encourage independent thinking among youth, document and preserve India’s cultural heritage, apply ideas from literature to solve real-world problems, mentor future generations through experience, and promote interdisciplinary collaboration to address global challenges such as climate change.
Responding to a proposal for establishing a museum dedicated to Lal Ded and other great personalities, the Lieutenant Governor assured that appropriate steps would be taken in this regard.
Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat, former Member of Parliament and President of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, eminent writer Prof. Neerja Mattoo, author Dr. Vaidehi Taman, Padma Shri Dr. S.P. Varma, Principal Secretary Culture Brij Mohan Sharma, SSP Srinagar Dr. G.V. Sundeep Chakravarthy, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Akshay Labroo, and several distinguished literary personalities and senior officials attended the event.
