Kashmir, August 23,2026- Manoj Sinha World Wisdom Forum address in New Delhi focused on India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation, with the Lieutenant Governor outlining his vision for a stronger and more prosperous India.
In his keynote address, Manoj Sinha congratulated the Council for bringing together eminent personalities to deliberate on the theme of Viksit Bharat and India’s collective future. He emphasised that the country’s path to development must be inclusive, rooted in tradition yet forward-looking, and balanced between technological strength and human sensitivity.
Drawing on an evocative metaphor, Sinha said that when people across sectors share a deep desire to achieve something, the intensity of that collective yearning can itself become the means of realising it — comparing it to a seed restless to germinate beneath the soil.
Reflecting on India’s progress under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Lieutenant Governor noted that the seed of Viksit Bharat has already sprouted, with historic milestones achieved over the past 12 years. He pointed to international projections of India emerging as one of the world’s three largest economies well before 2047, and argued that alongside economic growth, the nation must also define the character of its civilisation, spirituality and cultural framework.
Sinha went on to identify five major challenges that he said eminent personalities, industry leaders, business figures and engineers must collectively address to realise the Viksit Bharat vision. These included transforming India’s young population into a skilled workforce equipped for emerging technologies, ensuring sustainable development that balances progress with environmental responsibility, strengthening transparent and accountable institutions, and bridging the gap between advanced cities and underserved regions to achieve balanced regional development.
The Lieutenant Governor placed particular emphasis on India’s role as a creator rather than a consumer of technology. He called on the country to become a global creator of technologies, innovations and ideas rather than simply purchasing the future from others, urging that India should not merely use artificial intelligence but actively contribute to shaping its future — importing innovation less and exporting it more.
Turning to Jammu and Kashmir, Sinha highlighted the region’s transformation and its untapped potential in youth power, natural resources, tourism, horticulture, handicrafts and hydropower. He urged industry leaders to invest actively in the Union Territory, describing it as an opportunity to make Jammu and Kashmir a vital contributor to India’s broader development story. He credited Prime Minister Modi with creating confidence and opening new avenues for the region’s youth, and called on industry to recognise the region’s hydropower potential while connecting its horticulture, tourism and handicraft sectors to global markets.
Reminding attendees that India’s cultural ethos has long emphasised collective well-being, Sinha said the vision of Viksit Bharat encompassed not just GDP growth but the creation of an inclusive and prosperous nation where development is the right of every citizen. He called on stakeholders across industry, policy and education to reflect on the societal impact of their work.
Addressing the younger generation directly, the Lieutenant Governor urged them to prepare for the responsibilities that will come with 2047, when India marks a century of independence, and to ensure the nation’s progress uplifts every region and community. He said the new generation, set to be at the peak of its career and energy by then, must ask itself what it is creating and what impact that creation will have on society and people’s lives.
The event was attended by Member of Parliament Shashank Mani Tripathi, IIT Alumni Council President Ravi Sharma, National Stock Exchange MD & CEO Dr Ashish Chauhan, along with eminent IIT alumni and prominent citizens from various walks of life.
