Srinagar, Feb. 27 -- The Vice President (VP) of India, CP Radhakrishnan, on Thursday urged the students to focus on Swadeshi innovations and let go of its colonial mindset to emerge as a global leader of innovation. "As graduating students, I urge you all to focus on Swadeshi innovations, solutions that are rooted in Indian knowledge, resources and needs. True Atmanirbhartha comes when our innovations reflect our nation's identity and serve our people.We need not be worried. We need not feel inferior. We have to throw out our colonial mindset first," he said. The VP, while delivering an address on the 21st convocation ceremony of Kashmir University, started with his gratitude to the nation saying "I touch and salute the holy feet of Bharat Mata, the most powerful and the most merciful". On the stage were present J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha, chief minister Omar Abdullah, education minister Sakina Itoo and vice chancellor of Kashmir University Nilofar Khan. He also attempted to greet in the native language "tuh chuva warai (how are you)'"eliciting applause from the audience. Considering the fact that majority of the gold medals and PHDs at the convocation went into the kitty of women students, the VP said, "One, our education minister of the state is a woman. Second, the vice-chancellor of our university is also a woman. Third, the majority of the gold medals go to our girl graduates," he said. Out of 249 gold medals, 186 were achieved by women students. Similarly, 108 out of 164 PHDs were awarded to women. Radhakrishnan said, "We are emerging as innovators of technology and that is the great change that India is undergoing." Stressing on the need to respect the sentiments of others to create friendships across regions, cultures and languages, he said, "We are democrats. We can be proud of our sentiments, no problem in that.That doesn't mean we should degrade the sentiments of others, it's not good. And no democrat will do that. It has created friendship across regions, cultures and languages.It has ensured that talent is not limited by geography alone," he said. LG Sinha, while addressing the students, said that nothing can be a more powerful statement in new India than girl students taking away the majority of medals. "I am happy that out of 249 gold medals, 186 were received by girls and out of 164 PHDs, 108 have gone to girls. This is not an ordinary statistic but a message that when girls are provided the opportunity, encouragement and independence to work at an equal pedestal, they not only participate but also lead," he said....