In the past, many people in India despaired of poor telephone connectivity. Most of the young people in this hall will probably not believe that for nearly fifty years after Independence, there used to be long waiting lists for getting an ordinary telephone connection. People used to come to MPs like me to get a telephone connection from the MP’s quota.

The NDA Government (1998-2004) led by Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee changed all that by introducing a bold new telecom policy – and the proof of it lies in the mobile phone that you use all the time, chatting with your friends and sending smses.  The proof is there in the Internet through which you get information, news, your emails.  

I consider the Internet as an epoch-defining invention — comparable to the invention of the Wheel or Electricity. We wanted India not only to benefit from, but actually lead, the transformation being brought about by Information Technology.

Technology is changing the way young people live their lives. You have your own virtual communities and social networks like FACEBOOK and ORKUT in the digital world. I welcome this trend. Young people are always innovative, always creative. Their innovativeness and creativity should be nurtured and encouraged.

― From a speech by Shri L.K. Advani at an interactive session with students Organised by INDIA BANAO! in New Delhi on October 20, 2008