Vice Chancellors,

Directors,

Heads of Institutions of higher learning and research institutions,

Faculty members, and

My Fellow Citizens:

1.On the eve of the 66th Republic Day, I extend warm greetings to all of you in India and abroad. I convey my special greetings to members of our Armed Forces, Paramilitary Forces and Internal Security Forces.

Your Excellency, President Barack Obama,

Mrs. Michelle Obama,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honour and privilege to welcome you and the First Lady this evening, Mr. President. After having had the pleasure of meeting you in such a banquet four years ago during your last visit to India, I am doubly delighted to be able to receive you again - this time, as the host!

Shrimati Smriti Zubin Irani, Minister for Human Resource Development;

Shri Satyanarayan Mohanty, Secretary, Department of Higher Education;

Prof. Ved Prakash, Chairman, University Grants Commission;

Vice Chancellors of the Central Universities;

Senior Officers;

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Morning:

I warmly welcome all of you to this Conference. This is the third time we are meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan and I hope our deliberations shall be as focussed and meaningful as on the earlier two occasions.

Your Excellency,

Dr. Tony Tan Keng Yam,

President of the Republic of Singapore,

Madame Mary Tan,

Distinguished Guests,

1.It is my privilege to be here today for the sixty-second convocation of Gujarat Vidyapith. This historic institution was founded in 1920 by Mahatma Gandhi, who was its Chancellor since inception and remained so till he breathed last. Dr.

Your Excellency President Maithripala Sirisena,

Mrs. Jayanthi Sirisena,

Hon'ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Honourable Members,

1. In this New Year full of aspirations and hope, I welcome you to the Joint Sitting of the Two Houses of the Parliament with the belief that your deliberations will be productive and useful.

1. It gives me immense pleasure to be here today at Air Force Station Jodhpur, one of the oldest and premier air bases of the Indian Air Force in the Rajasthan Sector, to award Standards to 21 Squadron and 116 Helicopter Unit. These distinguished flying Units have a glorious past and a rich tradition of professional excellence. Since their inception, they have rendered illustrious service to the nation and done us proud. Their rich heritage and stellar efforts in the pursuit of excellence have set a benchmark for others to emulate.

1. I am happy to join you for this Second Convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mandi, one of eight IITs established during the Eleventh Plan period. It is a sheer delight to visit your institution situated in the Kamand valley, which beckons with its pristine and natural beauty. The simple lifestyle of the local agrarian people; their traditional songs, dances and crafts, enhance the innate grandeur and magnificence of this place.