Mysuru (Karnataka): President Droupadi Murmu Monday inaugurated the Mysuru Dasara Festival at Chamundi Hills in Mysuru and the new IIIT campus in Dharwad. At IIIT, the President was gifted two kaudi (a sheet of cloth made by stitching small torn cloth pieces or Hand Made bed sheet) Ilakal silk saree by IIIT President Sudha Murthy.
These Kaudis were made by women who left the Devadasi(sex worker) system and came into the mainstream. Along with these, the President was also gifted a book 'Three Thousand Stitches' written by Sudhamurthy on the method of making Kaudi and its benefits. In her speech, the President said the world is now moving towards the fourth industrial revolution, and India has to make relentless efforts to secure a leading position on the world stage.
"The country and the world are changing rapidly. Through the Digital India Mission, our country is experiencing a digital revolution, but to reap the benefits of this revolution, we will have to further encourage our research and innovation," Murmu said.
Highlighting that today's world belongs to 'metaverse', she said, on the strength of artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality, useful changes can be made. "The world is now moving towards the fourth industrial revolution which has the potential to raise income levels and improve the quality of life for the world community. Therefore, we have to make relentless efforts to secure India's leading position on the world stage," she said.
The fourth industrial revolution is a term coined over the last few years and characterised by the convergence of emerging technology domains, including nanotechnology, biotechnology, and advanced digital technologies like 3D printing, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Meanwhile, addressing the gathering during the Mysuru Dasara Festival, the President extended her greetings to the people of Karnataka on the auspicious occasion of Mysuru Dasara. She said that she prays to the Goddess Chamundeshwari that her blessings will always be available to all.
The President said that the sages as well as people of our country have kept the Indian society connected for centuries through festivals. "Festivals based on divine and human characters from Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, history and folk tales are celebrated all over the country. There is diversity as well as uniformity in these festivals. Mysuru Dussehra is also a festival of pride for Indian culture," she added.
Speaking about the developmental journey of Karnataka, the President noted that during the financial year 2021-22, Karnataka attracted 53 per cent of the total foreign direct investment in the hardware and software sector. She noted that Karnataka has achieved the target of 100 per cent enrollment in primary education. It has also achieved the target of 100 per cent connectivity under the 'Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana'.
She appreciated the Government and people of Karnataka for making India proud with many such achievements. Later in the day, the President attended a felicitation function ‘Poura Sanmana’ organized by the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation at Hubali. Speaking on the occasion, the President expressed her gratitude to all the residents of the city and said that by felicitating her they have not only felicitated the President of India but all the daughters of India.
The President said that the twin cities of Hubli-Dharwad are part of the glorious history of not only Karnataka but the whole of India and their presence on the cultural map of India has been remarkable. She noted that the North Karnataka region has many famous education centers of medical, engineering, law, science, arts and technology. Probably for that reason, this region is called 'Vidya-Kashi'.
