Students and alumni of the Indian Institutes of Technology, and particularly of IIT Bombay and IIT Kanpur.
I wish to apologize for the harsh words I used to you in my speeches at IITs Bombay and Kanpur.
I called you all utterly selfish and unpatriotic, who have no genuine love for India, and only want cushy jobs in Western countries where you will settle down, and to hell with the country.
It is true that many of you indeed are like that, but I am sure there are also many of you who are genuinely patriotic and wish to serve the country.
Why did I say such harsh and unkind words for you ? It was because I was carried away by emotions at the disgust I had at seeing the prevailing state of affairs in India, and the unpatriotic attitude of a large section of the Indian intelligensia, but now I realize I was only partly, not entirely, correct. There are indeed many patriots among you.
Emotions are indeed necessary, as the great French thinker Rousseau pointed out, for otherwise how will one have patriotism, which inspires and motivates one to make great sacrifices for the country, even at the cost of one's own comforts, or even one's life. It was patriotism which inspired the great leaders of the American, French, Russian and Chinese Revolutions.
But emotions must not be uncontrolled, they must be controlled by reason. And it is here that I committed my mistake, as I was carried away by uncontrolled emotion, and therefore did not see things in the proper perspective. I should have realized that many of you leave India after getting your degrees in IIT because in India there are no avenues for acquiring further knowledge and developing your technical skills, which are only available in Western countries.
So I must do self criticism, and openly confess my mistake and apologize to you for using such severe and unkind words towards you.
As I had said in my speeches, India is heading for a revolution, because the present Constitutional, political and social order in India has exhausted itself, and no further progress is possible within it, while at the same time poverty is massive, unemployment is rising, the Indian economy is stagnant, and indeed in a recession, with declining manufacture and exports, almost total lack of healthcare, nutritious food and good education for the masses ( IITs are exceptions ), etc
The Indian revolution is therefore inevitable, and is coming, but it will cause massive devastation, as I ponted out, with dreadful loss of lives and property, and total dislocation of the economy, and may take 10-15 years before it is successful.
After the revolution your country will need you, because by that time India will be in a terrible state, its economy in ruins, because our enemies, both foreign and internal will do everything to prevent any fundamental changes in India and its economy, and will unleash all their strength against us.
So when India emerges successful after our revolution a period of great reconstruction will have to commence, and here is where we will need you and your technical skills. You should then come back to your Motherland, and help in this reconstruction.
No doubt we will be able to pay you salaries which will be a pittance compared to what you will be getting in Western countries, because we are a poor country, and will become still poorer and weaker after the tremendous effort we will have to make to accomplish our revolution, but your reward will be that you will be serving your country and your people.
Till the revolution is successful you must keep acquiring scientific and technical knowledge and experience abroad or within the country, which will be put to use when that time comes
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