Ask what you can do for India, not what India did for you: FM Sitharaman to Gen Z, Gen Alpha

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday urged Gen Z and Gen Alpha to take up leadership roles and put the country’s interests first, asking young graduates to focus on what they can contribute to India rather than what the country has done for them.

Addressing the 36th convocation of Dr M G R Educational & Research Institute in Chennai, Sitharaman said the country was ready to listen to the aspirations of young people but expected them to approach their roles with a strong sense of responsibility and civic duty, according to a PTI report.

“Whether you call yourselves Gen Z or Gen Alpha, we are all ready to listen to what you have to say. But you must reflect on what is happening around you, what your role is, and what can be achieved for the country through you,” she said.


Sitharaman called on the graduating students to assume leadership in their respective fields and avoid compromising on national interest.

“Take up leadership. You must lead, and you must put the country first,” she said, stressing the importance of a secure and strong nation.

Sitharaman highlights India’s economic resilience

The finance minister also highlighted India’s economic performance amid global uncertainty, including the Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in the Middle East that have affected supplies of crude oil, gas and fertilisers.

India has maintained macroeconomic stability while recording a 7.8% growth rate, Sitharaman said, attributing the resilience to strong political leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

She also pointed to the growing opportunities for young professionals in Tamil Nadu, describing the state as an industrial and technology hub.

The Sriperumbudur-Oragadam corridor, she said, has emerged as a major global hub for automobile manufacturing and smartphone exports.

Tamil Nadu also has around 350 global capability centres (GCCs), accounting for about 10% of the national total, she said. Coimbatore has about 80 GCCs employing 12,000 professionals, while clusters are also expanding in Madurai and Tiruchirappalli.

Focus on women in STEM

Sitharaman also highlighted provisions in the Union Budget aimed at increasing women's participation in the workforce, including a plan to establish working women's hostels in every district to support women pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education.

Quoting from the Thirukkural, she advised the graduates to remain humble, avoid arrogance and approach challenges with patience and measured action.

More than 3,200 students from medical, dental, engineering, allied health sciences, law and management streams received their degrees at the convocation.