Stand Out

A warm good morning to all!

On this august gathering I’m here to share some of the dreams of our new generation. I feel quite privileged to address you one and all on this auspicious occasion. The dreams that we cherish, the ideas we share, our aspirations and perspirations are all for a better world where you and I live. At the very outset, I would like to start with the experience of our former honorable president and one of the greatest visionaries that India has ever produced Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam. While giving a lecture in a school at Hyderabad, a girl of my age approached him for an autograph. He asked her what her ambition in life was. She replied, “I want to live in a developed India”. He was quite surprised and overwhelmed at this quite an unusual ambition. Why? I’ve put first and foremost the dream of a developed India as the most significant vision of our generation. The reason is simple. Even after half a century of Indian independence that has remained to be still a dream, at least in our notion. Still we are bound to read out in our social science text books that “India is a developing country.”Although the world has started to recognize the strength of our economy, our democracy, our unity in diversity we are not ready to see ourselves as a developed country. Though our ideas of growth with social justice and our ideas of sustainable development are gaining popularity among the world countries in the current global scenario, we are not ready to see ourselves as a developed nation.

One of the other dreams that we cherish is a free and fair society. This vision is very much significant since even our dreams and ambitions are at stake. We have been denied the right to dream. In the name of upbringing and protection we are denied the very rights of individual freedom and existence and we are not allowed to mold our life according to our expectations. It seems as if you have always wanted to turn us into a useless bunch of idiots. When will you realize that a free and fair environment is that helps in the formation of healthy individuals?

Last but not least, we fancy a world of great opportunities. We, the young are quite contented if we are able to accomplish a career and profession in line with our education and expertise. More often than not, we are underutilized or over utilized. We do not end up in right positions. A person with technical skills does not become a technocrat. A person with immense musical sense does not end up being a musician. Thus we are bound to bury our dreams and aspirations due to lack of opportunities.

As the time running short, I would like to conclude. We have ultimately realized that our dreams are left to ourselves to be realized, great strides from our part only will pay off. And there’s emerging a new breed of young generation that believes in their dreams that will pave way to a new era of renaissance and a second war of independence. And let me remind you none can predict the shape of things to come but future looks bright.

I remain, Thank you