Address by Governor at the presentation of cheques to deserving students as part of the programme ‘Sangharshala Havi Sath’ initiated by Zee 24 Taas
Address by Shri CH Vidyasagar Rao, Governor of Maharashtra at the presentation of cheques to deserving students as part of the programme ‘Sangharshala Havi Sath’ initiated by Zee 24 Taas at the Convocation Hall, University of Mumbai at 1015 hrs on Thursday, 7th July 2016
Shri Vinod Tawade, Hon’ble Minister for Higher & Technical Education, Shri Eknath Shinde, Minister for Public Works (MSRDC, Public Undertaking), Padma Vibhushan Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar, Shri Harshavardhan Patil, former Minister, Shri Ashish Shelar, MLA, Dr Sanjay Deshmukh, Vice Chancellor, University of Mumbai, Dr Uday Nirgudkar, Chief Editor Zee Chowis Taas, invitees, dear students and their parents, ladies and gentlemen,
सर्व प्रथम, ‘संघर्षाला हवी साथ’ हा उपक्रम हाती घेतल्या बद्दल, मी, झी चोवीस तास, या वाहिनीचे तसेच संपादक डॉ उदय निरगुडकर यांचे मनःपूर्वक अभिनंदन करतो.
आज मी येथे सर्व विद्यार्थी मित्रांचे अभिनंदन करण्यासाठी आलो आहे. आपण सर्वांनी जी मेहनत घेतली त्यामुळेच आपण हे यश संपादन केले आहे.
मात्र हे यश, आपल्या पालकांचे आणि गुरुजनांचे देखील आहे.
मी सर्व विद्यार्थ्यांचे, पालकांचे आणि शिक्षकांचे मनःपूर्वक अभिनंदन करतो.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Only last week I released the UNICEF’s Report on the State of the World’s Children in Raj Bhavan.
Based on current trends, the report stated that 167 million children in the world will live in poverty by 2030. Needless to say many of these children will be from India, and chances are that they will be forced to quit education to make a living for themselves and their families.
The UNICEF report therefore called for focusing more on the plight of its most disadvantaged children.
We need a partnership between the governments, philanthropists, businesses houses and non-governmental organizations to accelerate efforts to make sure that every child gets access to education.
Education, education and education alone plays a unique role in helping the children and their families out of poverty.
This initiative by Zee Chowis Taas is an excellent example of social commitment and I would like to congratulate the entire team of Zee Chowis Taas for this wonderful effort.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I do not know about parents in other countries. But I can assure you that parents in India will rather go to bed without food, but they will educate their children come what may. That is the greatness of Indian parents.
Many of you may have read about the story of Dr Raghunath Mashelkar, who is present amongst us today. Dr Mashelkar is a renowned science leader in India and former Director of CSIR. Dr Mashelkar lost his father when he was only six. He studied under street lights and at the Bombay Central Station. But look, where education took him. He is reckoned among the top science leaders in the country, and we are all proud of him.
Friends,
In his letter to his son’s School Teacher, American President Abraham Lincoln had asked the teacher, and I quote, “In school, teach him, it is far more honorable to fail, than to cheat…….teach him to have faith in his own ideas even if everyone tells him they are wrong.” (unquote)
We need to introspect on both the messages. None of us is teaching students to take failure in their stride. On the contrary parents, teachers and friends are putting undue pressure on children to perform and score high marks.
In the process, children become nervous. They are worried what will happen if they scored less marks. They develop fear in their minds. This fear of failure is making people to take short cuts. In fact, short cut is becoming a way of life in many areas. As a result, there is erosion in values and ethics in all walks of life.
One good thing about politics, is that, you learn to lose. When you are in politics, you learn to take victory and defeat in your own strides.
In my own parliamentary career, I must have won six to seven elections, but I lost equal number of elections !! Failure makes you stronger. Failure often leads to success, provided you work hard and remain honest.
Dear friends,
Please mark my words, failure and adversity bring out the best in you. Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, popularly known as Superstar Rajanikant suffered extreme poverty, served as a porter and a bus conductor in Bangalore before his talent was noticed.
Microsoft Chief Bill Gates had a failed start, in his first business venture. Scientist Albert Einstein never spoke for the first three years of his life. English Physicist Stephen Hawkins suffers from Motor Neuron disease and is completely paralyzed, but that didn’t stop him from doing his academic work. There are ‘n’ number of examples of men and women for whom adversity and failure acted as a spur to progress.
In our ancient scriptures, we hear the story of Dhruva. Dhruva who was disliked by his step mother performed Tapasya and attained enlightenement. Today a star is named after him.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Coming back to Abraham Lincoln, I do feel that we have to teach our children to think independently and have faith in their own ideas.
Today’s education system suffers from a defect. It has become an examination oriented system. We have tied down our students to various examinations, tests, private coaching classes and so on. We are not enabling our children to think independently. In such an atmosphere, we cannot produce thought-leaders. We cannot produce good writers, good journalists, good orators, good doctors, good engineers, good scientist and so on. We urgently need a course correction and make learning pleasurable for students.
Friends, the population of Maharashtra is 11.4 crore, which is equal to the combined population of Australia, New Zealand and Germany.
There are a large number of children in rural areas and tribal areas of Maharashtra who cannot complete education because of poverty. Thankfully, Maharashtra is one of the richest States in the country. The State is also home to many Corporate Houses and financial institutions. The city of Mumbai is also home to a large number of philanthropists. We need a mix of Corporate Social Responsibility, Philanthropy and Individual Social Responsibility to reach out to all children whose education is discontinued or affected because of poverty. Only then, we can create a strong, progressive and prosperous Maharashtra.
Zee Chowis Taas has shown us the way. I will call upon Dr Uday Nirgudkar to convert this initiative into a permanent Statewide platform or a Foundation from which we can identify and reach out to all poor and deserving children. I assure you of my personal involvement and commitment to this venture.
With these words, I congratulate all the wonderful children who have done us proud with their superb performance and wish them the very best in their future academic pursuits.
I also wish the Zee Chowis Taas all success in its future endeavours.
Thank you.
Jai Hind Jai Maharashtra