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Bharathiar University, Coimbatore
Nineteenth Convocation, Friday, 5th March, 2004
Convocation Address Delivered by
Sevaratna Dr. G. Bakthavathsalam
Chairman,
K.G. Hospital and Post Graduate Medical Institute, Coimbatore
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Your Excellency, the Governor of Tamil Nadu and the Chancellor of Bharathiar University, the dynamic Vice Chancellor, the Members of the Syndicate, Registrar of the University, the Members of the Senate and Academics of the University and the new graduates and awardees of doctorate degrees, ladies and gentlemen, Representatives of the Media & Press :
It is a matter of great pleasure to be invited to deliver the Convocation Address.
I pray the Almighty to shower His blessings on all the graduates and post graduates of this great University named after the patriotic and popular Poet "Mahakavi Bharathiar".
I salute the Chancellor (the Governor), whom I admire as a most dedicated and erudite scholar, and whenever I went to meet him, he could be located amidst heaps of books and journals. He is trying to bring many reforms in the universities of Tamil Nadu.
I appreciate the Vice Chancellor for planning to create a Bharathiar University ELCOT CITY in this campus and to put the university in the global map.
Universities and colleges transform ordinary boys and girls into wonderful and productive Indian citizens, with wisdom, character, discipline and patriotism.
Everyone wants to succeed. "Efforts and endeavour are man’s duty." "Success or failure is God's domain."
It is said :
- "Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character.
- When there is beauty in the character, there is harmony in the home.
- When there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation.
- When there is order in the nations, there is peace in the world."
Friends, you should feel proud as an Indian. You should tell yourself everyday: "I am proud to be an Indian." I believe this slogan, which will permeate across the society, will bring a "Patriotic Feeling". The students who pass out of this great university have opportunities both in India and abroad. Majority of the students might be dreaming to go abroad – to USA or Europe – where there are enormous opportunities and prospects: it is acceptable and understandable! Once you reach there, you become an NRI – Non Resident Indian, Non Returning Indian and Not Required Indian. Our Mother India, the society and the government have subsidized your education, which should be remembered for ever. Know your responsibilities to your Mother India and her children in the village or town or the college: remember to come back, periodically and get your knowledge or technical skills transferred (transfer of technology) to our people. Stay back for at least for a few weeks and give your "brain power" to our country; so, there will be No Brain Drain, but Brain Train, and again at the end of 5 to 10 years - after having made the requisite "millions": come back, join a great organization or create a great organization, so that the unfortunate and the underprivileged "Indians" will benefit and prosper!
Please understand "Business is for life – business is to make a living: do not make life all business."
Friends, remember your teachers, who have created, trained and guided you and also the institution which was responsible for your growth. "Be grateful for ever." Be a philanthrophic donor to your college, when you are well off.
To achieve success in life, you need to have an ambition and goal, you need to have a vision and you should always 'dream big'. "Dreaming small is a crime": says our Honourable President Abdul Kalam.
Our Neurologists tell us that all of us have 25 million cells in our brain. Some of us use only 15% of the brain’s capacity; 85% is kept idle. If you can raise the capacity utilization to a mere 20%, you will be a Bill Gates or Premji. By an increase of 5% more of brain activity, we can create wealth for our country.
"Getting a degree is the starting point of a career. Learning should continue as long as you live."
For example, in my case, at the age of 21, I started my life as a doctor after graduating in MBBS in Madras Medical College in Chennai, but my education did not end there. My post graduate education went on for another 15 long years in India and USA. Then on as a teacher and a professor, I continued my journey in education, learning, teaching and performing operations. Non-formal education of “managing” institutions was my greatest challenge! Managing men is called management. You also will be required to manage people, even though you are a science or a commerce graduate. Even at the age of 61, I continued to learn, teach and change. Education is ‘continuous’. If you have not learnt anything yesterday, you are uneducated today. That is the speed with which the explosion of knowledge is taking place. The avenues of education are abundant: print- media, web sites, visual communication and internet. Don’t stop learning even for a single day".
You should train yourself in spiritual and moral spheres, in order to face life with courage and conviction. ‘Education without values is useless.’
When we Pray God, we ask for :
- Good health (mental and physical),
- Long life,
- Prosperity and wealth,
- Fame and popularity, and
- Spiritual knowledge
Reciting a ‘mantra” does not make you spiritual. “Understanding God within is spiritual”. When you pray, “God listens to you”. You should also find time “to meditate”. When you meditate, “you get connected to God” – “you listen to God” – “ideas and directions are received in the process.” It could be called as intuitions or thoughts for the day. Good thoughts create good words, good words lead to good actions. Repeated good actions create a man with good habits. Lots of such good menfolk create a good society.
It is always said that you have to be in the “right place at the right time”, and meet the “right” person to get the “right” idea. The most important aspect is whoever uses the “right idea” becomes the winner. Everyone’s business life starts with an idea and get surrounded by people who share your ideas and dreams and only then, you will achieve success.
All of us know Knowledge is power, but Power has to be used to get results. People who work hard succeed. People who work ‘smarter’, succeed more.
Many of us do not spend our time usefully and purposefully. “If we do not know how to manage our time, we do not know how to manage our life.” I always believe that you should do nothing less than 100% of the best of your capability. Do a complete and thorough job and you will be successful. You have to be doing your job thoroughly, passionately, persistently and consistently to be successful. Success is a journey, not a destination.
The ‘core competence’ of our Indian educated youth is the knowledge in Health Care, Bio Technology and Information Technology. With the scientific bent of mind, simple living, high thinking and spirituality, we can reach greater heights in the world arena.
China may be ahead of us in the race for economic superiority, but ultimately at the end of 20 to 30 years, I am sure, we will win the race, because we are a country united by spirituality. In spite of the diversity in religion, caste and creed, we know the real purpose of life, viz. “realization of God. We believe in ‘Dharma’ and ‘Ahimsa’ and the whole world knows about it. We are reliable partners with any country wedded towards peace, progress and prosperity.
The American country is greatly benefited economically and scientifically by the hard work of a million strong NRI Indian population. 30% of the NASA scientists are Indians and 30% of Microsoft employees are Indians and 30% of physicians are Indians. The best of our Brains are working in the foreign soil.
The population of India is 105 crores. 25% of Indians are still poor. The responsibility of the educated and privileged Indians like us is to support them. The acts of kindness, charity, philanthropy, creating job opportunities, creating educational institutes, hospitals and factories are all our responsibilities. To be a doctor is a great honour, because we are treated as ‘Gods’ at times of crisis, but our responsibility is not only to treat the disease but also to prevent the disease of the mind and body. Teachers are superior to doctors. In that, they create responsible citizens who are taught to fight the evils of the society, like slavery, pollution, illiteracy and poverty. The teachers have exercised the student’s mind; he becomes a thinker. Among 100 crore Indians, there are 25% thinkers and 25% doers and 25% thinkers and doers and the rest 25% are non thinkers and non doers; the much awaited “Developed India” will become a reality only when 50% of Indians become thinkers and doers. Then we become a Super Power.
It is said, “Destiny is not a matter of chance. It is a matter of choice, it is not to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved.”
“Nothing splendid is ever achieved, except by those who dare to believe that something inside them was superior to circumstances.”
Please understand “All that is necessary for the evil to triumph is for the good people to do nothing and keep quiet.” 30% of educated Indians do not vote in the General Elections.
Vedanthri Maharishi says: “As long as people who do not know how to live exist in any country. That country will be ruled by people who don’t know how to rule.”
This is a country of great Teachers, Rishis and Vedas. This is a country where teachers are respected: the Mata, Pita, Guru and Deivam – in that order. Any country where teachers are respected and looked after well is a civilized country. Civilization is how “well” you “treat” the other man in the same manner you expect him to treat you. You have a great responsibility in keeping up the civilization and culture of our country.
Dear Graduates, we witness a new scenario in India now: “fast and dynamic changes” are happening in every sector on a daily basis:-
Fact No. 1: For many of us, changes are so sudden, but we are unable to perceive it.
Fact No. 2: You must anticipate change when everything is going alright like it is better to have a health check up even when you are healthy to detect the “hidden problems” in the body.
Fact No. 3: When changes occur, problems crop up also and see an ‘opportunity’ in every problem. In power shortage, create solar panels, in water shortage, desalination plants for conversion of sea water to drinking water and so on.
Fact No. 4: With the change, comes a “feeling of insecurity”. Realize that the “fear of the unknown” is natural.
Fact No. 5: The ability to manage fear is needed. Move on fearlessly to meet with success.
Fact No. 6: Keep living on a daily basis. Ask yourselves what new skills and competence are required. The greatest benefit of your education lies not only in what you have learnt, but in knowing “how to learn.”
Fact No. 7: Surround yourself with people who are open to change and who possess “I can do attitude”. Enthusiasm and positive attitudes are contagious and is an amazing “force multiplier” leading to success.
Fact No. 8: You must always play to win. When you play to win, you stretch yourself to the maximum and use all of your potential. Concentrate your energy on what you are doing. Do your best and leave the rest to God.
Fact No. 9: Ultimately, all of us work hard to make ourselves “HAPPY”. The simple formula is to make others happy than making you happy. It is our responsibility to create and contribute something to the world that has given us so much. All of us have a responsibility to use our potential for making India a better place to live for others. Doing good deeds can have multiple benefits not only for us but for many others.
This is a story of a poor Scottish farmer whose name was Fleming.
One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby forest. He dropped his tools and ran to the forest. There he found a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to come out of a dirty and muddy pool. Farmer Fleming saved the boy from what could have been a slow and terrifying death. The next day, an elegantly dressed nobleman came to his hut and introduced himself as the father of the boy whom Farmer Fleming had saved.
“I want to give you a donation, “said the nobleman. “because you saved my son’s life.” “No, I can’t accept payment for what I did,“ the Scottish farmer replied, waiving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer’s son some came to the door of the hut.
“Is that your son?” the nobleman asked, “Yes,” the farmer replied proudly.
The nobleman said: “I’ll make you a deal. Let me take your son with me and give him a good education. He’ll grow to be a man whom you can be proud of.” And that he did. The poor Farmer Fleming’s son graduated from St. Mary’s Medical School in London, and went on to become the world famous Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin. That is what Education did for a village boy”. Many years later, the nobleman’s rich son was hospitalized with a life threatening pneumonia. What saved him?”: Pencillin.
This is not the end. The nobleman’s son also made a great contribution to the society. The nobleman was none other than Lord Randolph Churchill and his son’s name was Winston Churchill, the famous Prime Minister of England.
Ladies and Gentlemen, convert yourselves to noble men and women to create many “Alexander Flemings” in India.
I would like to quote from Albert Einstein: “Every day, on hundreds of occasions, I remind myself that my mental and physical life depends on the toil of other persons, living and dead… so, I must try to repay whatever I have received and am receiving.”
No doubt, we all want to achieve Success in our life. A successful person is required to possess IQ, EQ and SQ.
- IQ = Intelligent Quotient
- EQ = Emotional Quotient
- SQ = Spiritual Quotient
All of us are aware: 100 and above Good are needed to deal with situations and crisis in life. It will help you to becoming a CEO. “Spiritually ignited minds” have performed unbelievable miracles. You believe me, I have many examples like Amma, BGS Swamiji, Abdul Kalam, Saibaba and many in India.
Finally, We are all Proud of our Nation: “Fast Developing India.”
- India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
- 8% GDP growth is forecast for 2003-2004
- Software exports alone will account for 7% of GDP and 35% of exports by 2008.
- Knowledge-intensive manufacturing exports are growing rapidly, e.g. pharmaceuticals and auto components
- Almost every car in the world today has at least, some auto component made in India. India manufactures super computers, nuclear bombs, missiles and rockets.
- ‘Made in India’ brand is shining now.
- India’s foreign exchange reserves have risen to 104 billion US$.
- The healthcare industry is poised to become the biggest employer in all countries. “Indian Nurses are in great demand like Indian Doctors.”
I have a great belief in the younger generation INDIANS.
“We must get rid of the inferiority complex. We must celebrate our successes and encourage the “talented” individuals who will bring glory to India.”
Dr. Abdul Kalam says:
“Learning gives creativity; creativity leads to thinking,
Thinking provides knowledge; knowledge makes you great.”
Friends, change is very essential for growth and development. You keep doing what you are doing if you want to be where you are; change, if you want to be somewhere else.
“Your attitude decides your altitude” is a common saying. How high you grow in your life depends on I.T: INTERNAL TRANSFORMATION (not only Information Technology).
In conclusion, dear brothers and sisters, I am very confident to say “You have a bright future”. Here and now in India.
I wish you all the best. Thank you.
JAIHIND!
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