New Delhi [India], June 17 (ANI): Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar addressed students at JIPMER Medical College on Monday and urged people to stop exploiting nature, saying, The Earth is our Mother, and we are her children. He delivered a powerful message on sustainability, wellness, and responsible living, drawing inspiration from ancient Indian scriptures.

While addressing students, he quoted Atharvaveda, saying, 'maataa bhuumiH putro'hN pRthivyaaH the Earth is our Mother and we are her children. Let us not bleed the Mother. Let us not engage in reckless utilisation and exploitation of natural resources.'

He reminded the audience of the deep connection between human life and nature.

During an interactive session, Vice President Dhankhar highlighted the importance of sustainable development and said that the concept had deep roots in Indian tradition.

'We are living in times when sustainability buzzes through boardrooms, global organisations, the United Nations, and all parliaments. But if you look to our Vedas, it has always been there,' he said.

He emphasised that Indian culture inherently respected nature, which helped avoid many of the health issues caused by modern lifestyles.

'We worshipped trees, respected forests, took to that mechanism which is the very antithesis of what we call lifestyle diseases. So let us believe in sustainability: that is fundamental,' the Vice President said.

He also spoke about the need for responsible use of the environment and said, 'We have to focus on optimal utilisation. We must be cognizant of the fact that we are trustees of natural resources; we have to pass these on to future generations.'

On Sunday, Dhankhar arrived in Puducherry for a three-day official visit.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, VP Dhankar addressed the students and faculty of the Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Himachal's Solan. He highlighted how the agriculture sector has grown over the years, the need to focus on rural systems for food distribution, and the importance of students considering marketing agricultural produce from their own families.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar said that he disagrees with the differentiation people put on products which are to be exported and consumed domestically, saying that Indians deserve the best products to consume.

During his address at the university, he said that the best produce and products should be given to Indians instead of just being for export. (ANI)