HIRD Director Dr. Virender Singh Chauhan Calls Upon Students to Make Social Awareness, Moral Values, and Self-Reliance an Integral Part of Their Lives

Nilokheri, May 6, 2026: There is no dearth of talent among the daughters of rural areas; what is required is merely the right guidance and opportunities. Along with education, you must also make social awareness, moral values, and self-reliance an integral part of your lives so that you may bring about positive change in society. These sentiments were expressed by Dr. Virender Singh Chauhan, Director of the Haryana Institute of Rural Development (HIRD), while addressing students from the PM Shri Government Senior Secondary School, Gondar.

A group of students from the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades of this school undertook an educational visit to the Haryana Institute of Rural Development in Nilokheri.

Dr. Virender Singh Chauhan said that education is not merely a means to secure a job, but rather the most powerful instrument for personality development and for steering society in a new direction. He remarked that today, young women are not lagging behind in any field; if they make self-confidence, discipline, and hard work their guiding principles, they can bring glory to both the nation and society. He inspired the students to dream big in life and to strive continuously to realize those dreams.

Citing the life of former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Dr. Chauhan noted that Dr. Kalam—who rose from a humble family background to reach the nation's highest office—proved that any goal can be achieved through struggle and hard work. He urged the youth to draw inspiration from Dr. Kalam's life and to cultivate a scientific temper, discipline, and a spirit of patriotism within themselves.

He further said that one's mother tongue constitutes the very soul of our culture, civilization, and identity. Hindi, he observed, is not merely a medium of communication but a language that serves to connect Indian values and emotions. He emphasized that we should take pride in our mother tongue and, by embracing Hindi as much as possible in our daily lives, ensure that future generations remain connected to their cultural roots.

Dr. Virender Singh Chauhan also took the opportunity to inquire about the students' personal concerns and the challenges they face within their schools. He encouraged the female students to move forward with self-confidence and to strengthen their future through education.

Present on this occasion were Sushil Mehta, Sandeep Kumar, and Kamaldeep Sangwan—Assistant Professors at the HIRD; Gurvinder Singh—Senior Advisor at the National Institute of Rural Development; and Neelam Chhikara from the State Panchayat Resource Center, along with the school's teachers and students.