Ram Ramanujam (right) interacts with students at Ramanujam School of Maths in Patna on Monday, as institute’s director Anand Kumar looks on. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Patna, March 7: Aspiring entrepreneurs with a sound proposal to start an income-generating activity can get the first investment of Rs 1 lakh from US-based environmentalist Ram Ramanujam.

Addressing students on the premises of Super 30 institute today, Ramanujam promised to give the amount to at least 20 youths if their proposals impress him. He said the idea was to promote youths who wants to start an income-generating activity.

“I would give Rs 1 lakh each to 20 enterprising youths desiring to start an income-generated activity which can generate employment for five people. It can be a small-scale industry or anything else. If anybody has such an idea, they can get in touch with me, but the proposal must be solid. The reason behind doing this to create more employment opportunities for people in the country.”

Earlier, he gave a motivational lecture to the students of Super 30. He said the students passing out from the institute should strive to become good citizens and contribute to the development of the state as well as the country. “All of us are a part of the society and we owe a lot to it for all that it has given us,” he said.

He said: “I am happy to be here. It is really amazing to find underprivileged children sweating it out to get through to the IIT. This is a great inspiration for the others who strive for the same, but fall short because they are not financially strong.”

Speaking on the topic “East is east, west is west, what is best”, Ramanujam underlined the need to redefine and reform oneself, something that only the individuals can do. “There are two kinds of knowledge — one to live on and the other is to live for. Here at Super 30 I see both types of knowledge being imparted,” he said.

Anand Kumar, who runs Super 30, said he was happy that his small initiative has attracted such personalities. Such lectures would be an inspiration not only to the students, but also myself.

Ujjawal Tiwari, a student of St Joseph School, Muzaffarpur, said: “If I get the money (Rs 1 lakh that Ramanujam proposed to give), I will open a small school in the village. I would also get the help of an NGO, which is active in the rural areas.”