Vice-Chancellor Prof. N K Lokanath on December 16 called upon the youth to place greater emphasis on learning the art of focus, stating that in an age filled with distractions, a focused approach is key to achieving success.Presiding over Manasa Youth Empowerment–2025-26, a workshop on youth empowerment and employability held at the Senate Bhavan here, Prof. Lokanath said that those who remain focused succeed in life. He stressed the importance of the three Ds — discipline, dedication and determination — which are crucial for young people to realise their goals.“Getting together is the beginning, thinking together is progress, and working together is success,” he said.Emphasising that there are no shortcuts to success, the Vice-Chancellor said hard work always pays off. “Success may be delayed, but the fruits of hard work will certainly reach you. Time has its own importance — if we respect time, it will respect us,” he added.He said that when the journey becomes tough, one must face challenges with grit and strength, observing that overcoming difficulties determines capabilities. Self-confidence and hard work, he said, will always yield success.Urging the youth to have faith in themselves, Prof. Lokanath said that one’s economic or social background does not determine capability. “There are many examples in our country of eminent personalities who rose from humble backgrounds to become legends. Their strengths were self-confidence and hard work,” he said.Regional Commissioner Nitesh Patil inaugurated the workshop and addressed the gathering.Registrar M.K. Savita, Registrar (Evaluation) N. Nagaraja, and Finance Officer K.S. Rekha were present.Published - December 16, 2025 07:58 pm IST