Vice Chancellors of Central Universities;

Directors of IITs, NITs, IISERs and other institutes of higher learning and civil service academies;

Faculty members;

Today, Income Tax Appellate Tribunal completes 75 years of service to the nation through delivery of justice to the tax payers.

My Fellow Citizens:

Your Excellency President Francois Hollande,

Distinguished members of the delegations of India and France, Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. I am delighted to be amidst you this evening at the inauguration of the 2nd edition of the Counter-Terrorism Conference organised by the India Foundation in collaboration with Government of Rajasthan.

1.I am indeed happy to be here amidst you today for the fifty-fourth convocation of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, a leading institution in our country for agricultural research, education and extension.

It is indeed a privilege for me to have the splendid sight of majestic warships anchored in these waters of Bay of Bengal. The fluttering pennants and flags on the dressing lines, happy and proud men in white manning their ships is indeed heartwarming.

It is a singular honour and a rare privilege for me to address this gathering, celebrating a momentous International Fleet Review. Today’s ensemble of distinguished government officials, naval officers and dignitaries from 50 countries across the globe is indicative of the inherent desire in each one of us to unite and work together for global peace and the common good of humanity.

1. I am happy to meet this young, enterprising group of Ashoka Fellows for the year 2015. At the very beginning, I extend you and the representatives from the ‘Ashoka Innovators for the Public’ a warm welcome to the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

1.It is a pleasure to be here in the midst of such a talented set of people. I would like to begin by congratulating the winners of the Infosys Prizes. Their research is laying the groundwork for an evolved, enabling, and sustainable world.