13 years after 'third perspective' speech, PM Modi to return to SRCC amid youth outreach push

NEW DELHI — After a gap of nearly 13 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will return to Delhi University's prestigious Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) on Saturday to participate in the institution's centenary celebrations and address the gathering, according to an official statement.

PM Modi had last visited the institution in 2013, when he was serving as the Chief Minister of Gujarat.

A year later, in 2014, he became the Prime Minister of the country.

His return to SRCC on Saturday will mark a significant moment, as the college celebrates the completion of 100 years since its establishment and reflects on its contribution to education and the development of generations of students.

During his previous visit to SRCC in 2013, then Gujarat CM Modi delivered one of his first major public addresses in New Delhi and spoke about his approach to leadership and his tendency to look at issues from a different perspective.

While explaining his point, he had used a glass of water to draw a distinction between conventional optimistic and pessimistic viewpoints. He explained that while an optimist may see the glass as half full and a pessimist may consider it half empty, he preferred to look at the situation differently.

"There are different perspectives of looking at things. Suppose I were to show this to you: The optimists among you would say the glass is half full, while the pessimists would say it is half empty. Friends, I take a different path, one distinct from both those views. I have a third perspective: This glass is full -- half with water and half with air," he had said.

The Prime Minister's return to the college comes at a time when political parties are increasingly focussing on engaging with younger voters -- Gen Z -- and adapting their communication strategies to the changing interests and expectations of the younger generation.

The event is scheduled to begin at around 7 p.m. on the college campus, where the Prime Minister will also address the gathering and speak on the significance of the institution’s century-long journey.

SRCC in University of Delhi, is regarded as one of India’s premier institutions of higher education and has established itself as a distinguished centre of learning, in the fields of Commerce, Economics and Management.