India now most preferred destination for investment: Deepak Vohra

Bhubaneswar: An emerging India and world’s fifth largest economy has become an unstoppable force for change in the world, senior diplomat and special advisor to the Prime Minister Dr. Deepak Vohra said.

“India today is the most preferred destination for investment and it’s for the young generation to seize the moment to write their future and determine their destiny,” Dr. Vohra, who advises the Prime Minister on two African countries and Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, said while speaking at a motivational session for students at the SOA Deemed to be University, recently.

India has traversed a long distance from the days when it encountered brain drain, agricultural collapse and dwindling foreign exchange reserve to become the second largest producer of food today while its capacity to build, innovate and use technology has been globally acknowledged, he said.

“What we need is faith and confidence to go forward. Cynicism does not empower, it paralyses,” he told the packed auditorium.

The lecture was jointly organised by SOA and the Rotary Club of Bhubaneswar Flamingo to mark Swami Vivekananda’s birthday. SOA’s pro-chancellor Prof (Dr.) Amit Banerjee, vice-chancellor Prof Bijay Kumar Sahoo, dean (Students’ Welfare) Prof Jyoti Ranjan Das, director, University Outreach Programme, Prof. Nachieketa K Sharma and president of Bhubaneswar Rotary Club Flamingo Dr. Smita Sinha were present.

India is currently witnessing its infrastructure growth as airports, ports, roads, railway lines and hotels are under construction. “Eighty airports are being built in the country while one kilometer of highway is being added every 15 minutes,” he said while quoting French poet Victor Hugo who said “nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come.”

Col. Debabrata Kar, secretary of Bhubaneswar Rotary Club Flamingo, introduced the speaker while Deba Prasad Dash, director, corporate communication, proposed the vote of thanks.