17.06.2025 : Address by Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, Governor of Maharashtra, on his visit to BMC School, Worli Sea Face, Mumbai

Address by Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, Governor of Maharashtra, on his visit to BMC School, Worli Sea Face, Mumbai at 1215 hrs on Tuesday, 17 June 2025

I touch and salute the holy feet of Bharath Mata the Most Powerful and the Most Merciful.

ஆஜ் இத்தே உபஸ்தித் சர்வான்னா மாஜே நமஸ்கார்

Shri Bhushan Gagrani, Municipal Commissioner and Administrator of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation,

Dr. Prashant Narnaware, Secretary to the Governor of Maharashtra,

Dr. Amit Saini, Additional Municipal Commissioner,

Shri S. Ramamoorthy, Deputy Secretary,

Dr. Prachi Jambhekar, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Education),

Shri Rajesh Kankal, Education Officer,

Teachers, parents, dedicated staff, and most importantly – my dear children,

Namaskar and good afternoon to you all.

I am pleased to visit the BMC School at Worli Sea Face, on the occasion of the opening of the new academic session.

I warmly welcome the tiny tots who are stepping into the world of learning for the very first time, and I congratulate the students who are advancing to higher classes after successfully passing their examinations.

The beginning of a new school year is a memorable moment in every child’s life.

The smell of new books, fresh notebooks, colourful crayons, sharp pencils, new school bags, water bottles, and raincoats – these are the simple joys that stay with us forever.

It is a time of hope, curiosity, and new friendships.

I am pleased to learn that BMC schools in Mumbai have recorded outstanding results in the SSC examinations, with many students scoring over 90 percent marks.

I congratulate the students, teachers, principals, and the BMC administration for this exemplary achievement.

As Governor of Maharashtra, I have travelled across almost 30 districts of our State and have visited numerous institutions, including tribal Ashram Shalas.

I had also visited a School where toilet and lab was developed by an NGO.

But I had not had the opportunity to visit a BMC school – and I was keen to witness their functioning firsthand.

Today I am impressed to learn that the BMC operates more than 1100 schools in Mumbai, serving over 3.5 lakh students, most of whom come from financially challenged backgrounds. This is not just commendable – it is inspiring.

Mumbai is not only the commercial capital of India; the BMC is among the wealthiest civic bodies in the country.

It is my earnest desire that the BMC uses its abundant resources to transform its schools into Model Schools – institutions that set benchmarks in academic excellence, infrastructure, sports, digital learning, and overall personality development.

In a city where presidents, prime ministers, and dignitaries from across the world regularly visit, our public schools should be shining examples of India’s commitment to inclusive and quality education. If the BMC schools rise to that standard, I would be proud to encourage such dignitaries to visit them. I will even request our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji to visit such a Model BMC School, which can serve as a national template for school transformation.

I recall attending the Shiv Jayanti programme organized by BMC near Shivaji Park on Republic Day this year, where artists from the Sangeet Kala Academy presented beautiful patriotic songs. Later we had called them to Raj Bhavan for a State Foundation Day celebration.

I will urge and encourage BMC to introduce Music and Yoga as regular subjects in its school curriculum.

Finland is renowned for its progressive school system. Its focus on child-friendly learning, creativity, and life skills is something worth emulating. We must see if we can adopt and emulate some of their ideas.

Skill development, sports, multilingual education, and digital literacy must form core pillars of our educational strategy.

Children today are fast learners. Introducing foreign languages like French, German, or Japanese in BMC schools can give our children a global edge.

I am happy to know about the various innovative schemes and educational initiatives undertaken by the BMC. I congratulate the entire education team for their sincere and dedicated work.

To all the children present here – this is your time. Study hard, play with joy, and dream big. And the sky is not the limit – it’s just the beginning.

I wish each one of you a joyful, productive, and enriching academic year ahead.

Dhanyavad !
Jai Hind ! Jai Bharat ! Jai Maharashtra !!