Address at the Launching of Web Site on Akhila Kerala Balajanasakhyam

Address

I am indeed delighted to be in the midst of this young members of All Kerala Balajana Sakhyam. I am happy to know the contributions of Kerala Balajana Sakhyam to the young. My greetings to all of you.

When I am in the midst of the young, I thought of sharing my experience with the young. Recently, my friends had launched a web site in my name. I normally exchange views particularly with the young in the country and abroad. I had putforth two points in the web site for the young to share their thoughts. The first point I had putforth was, "India is a developing country for more than half a century. What you will do to make it Developed India?". The second one was, "When can I sing a song of India?". There is a connectivity. There were more than 100 responses. I thought of sharing with you four important suggestions that I received. One young man had responded, "I will become a teacher (rather a Professor of Engineering) since I am good in, as well as enjoy teaching. Since I believe that one of the best ways in which to serve any nation is to be either a Professor or a soldier among many other professions". Another young boy says, "Single flower makes no garland. I will make my countrymen to love the nation and work for garland, that is developed India". A twenty year old boy from Goa has responded, "I would become an electron and like an electron in the orbit, I will work ceaselessly for my country, now onwards.

With reference to the second point which I had putforth, a young man from Atlanta says, "when India builds the capability to put sanction against any country, if needed, then I will sing a song of India". What the young man meant was: Economic strength brings prosperity accompanied with national strength. Like that there are many responses. The cross section of people of young age group have inspired mind to make the nation great. It is important to recognise that India has a population of 700 million young people below 35 years. This is a big force. How to ignite the young minds? Only launching the vision for the nation will bring the young force into action.

When I see such a young gathering bubbling with happiness and action oriented spirit and above all young minds, I believe, it is time for India to enter into the second vision led by the young of this country. You may all want to ask me, what is the second vision? The first vision commenced somewhere in 1857, at Meerut, which was the revolutionary thought that India should get freedom with best of leaders in multiple fields. It took us 90 years to get freedom. When India got freedom on 15th August 1947, I was a young boy like you. This atmosphere makes me to share three events on the noble leadership, indomitable spirit and birth of space science and technology in a divine environment. I am sure, all the three characteristics would help to form a strong foundation in your journey of successful life.

Noble Leadership

In 1947, at the dawn of freedom, we had the best of leaders in science, in technology, in history, in politics and in industry. On 15th August 1947, my high school teacher Rev. Iyyadorai Solomon took me to hear the mid-night freedom speech of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. We were all thrilled when Panditji spoke that the mission was achieved. On the next day, that is on 16th August 1947, I had a great experience. An experience of best of education I can think of. In the Tamil newspaper, on the front page, two news items appeared. One item was India achieving freedom and Panditji's speech. The other news item and the most important one which has been embedded in my memory is about Mahatma Gandhiji walking barefoot in Naokali, removing the pain of riot affected families. Normally as Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi has to be the first to unfurl the national flag on August 15, 1947 in Red Fort. But he was not there at the Red Fort, instead he was at Naokali. Mahatma Gandhi was an embodiment of nobility, elevated thinking and concern for human beings. What an everlasting positive impact in the mind of a school boy??

Indomitable spirit

Sir CV Raman led teaching and research in Physics and created great scientific leaders and also the birth of Raman Research Institute, Bangalore. I would like to quote Sir CV Raman, at the age of 82, while addressing young graduates. The message is still reverberating in my mind: "I would like to tell the young men and women before me not to lose hope and courage. Success can only come to you by courageous devotion to the task lying in front of you. I can assert without fear of contradiction that the quality of the Indian mind is equal to the quality of any Teutonic, Nordic or Anglo-Saxon mind. What we lack is perhaps courage, what we lack is perhaps driving force which takes one anywhere. We have, I think, developed an inferiority complex. I think what is needed in India today is the destruction of that defeatist spirit. We need a spirit of victory, a spirit that will carry us to our rightful place under the sun, a spirit which will recognise that we, as inheritors of a proud civilization, are entitled to a rightful place on this planet. If that indomitable spirit were to arise, nothing can hold us from achieving our rightful destiny."

Those were the words from the Nobel laureate scientist of India. You would see the bridge of science and society. Friends, I request all who are responsible for the young, all who are creators of the young, for the childrens' growth, allow them to dream. Dream transforms into thoughts and thoughts result into actions.

Let me start this talk with some of the questions posed to me by the children recently during a personal interaction. The questions were from Vikrant Nahal Arya of Sanskriti School and Rupanjali Lahiri of St Thomas School, New Delhi, They asked me very simple question which led me to think. The question was : " Your birthday has recently gone by. What were your thoughts on that day?." They wanted to know what my birthday meant to me. It meant for me that I had completed 71 orbits around the sun, and had entered my 72nd orbit. Think of our Universe. I am amazed and always inspired by the dynamics of our universe. Our star (sun), its planets, every celestial object has a purpose. If the Earth stopped rotating around its axis, what would happen? No earth, No night, no day. If Sun does not orbit, sun will not be there. Think of it. The sun also orbit around the Milky Way. Isn't it. It takes the Sun 250 million years for one orbit around Milky Way, our galaxy. Compare that to my 72nd orbits. What does that mean? One single citizen completing 71 orbits. It is an insignificant event, compared to dynamics of universe. But human mind is innovative and can think and explore the marvels of universe.

Thinking is Progress

Friends, we should note that human minds is a unique gift. Marvels of universe you can enter into it only if you have curiosity and thinking. I suggest to all of you, thinking should become your capital asset, no matter whatever ups and downs you come across in your life. Thinking is progress. Non thinking is destruction to the individual, organization and the country. Thinking leads to action. Knowledge without action is useless and irrelevant. Knowledge with action brings prosperity

The core competence of Kerala is well-known. It is the home of the country's Space ventures, the most literate State with less Governmental thrust. Kerala is endowed with indomitable dedicated and educated women force. Keralites are global, as most of them are spread over all parts of the world. Kerala is also well-known for the revolution it has done in the profession of Nursing. Keralites, when they give hardwork and value system to other countries, they have to contribute to rural development based on the best, what they have learned. As e-Education is the most important content of knowledge super power, Kerala should enter in business mission mode. Since India's business will be 50 to 80 billion dollars of IT market in a decade, Kerala has an opportunity in progressing:-

As a student, I would like you to have a mind to explore every aspect of human life. Look at the sky. We are not alone. The whole universe is friendly to us and conspires to give the best to those who dream. Like Chandrasekhar Subramaniam discovered the black hole. Today, using Chandrasekar's limit we can calculate how long the sun will shine. Like, Sir CV Raman looked at the sea and questioned why the sea should be blue leading to the birth of Raman Effect. Like, Albert Einstein, armed with the complexity of the universe, asked the question to formulate forms of energy. The famous equation E=mc2, when E=mc2 in the hands of noble souls we got electricity using nuclear materials. When the same equation was in the hands of revolutioners, destruction of Hiroshima took place. Millions of people walk in this universe. But during last millennium one noble soul walked and walked in the Indian soil giving birth of ahimsa dharma. My dear friends, can you dream to become a noble minded like Mahatma Gandhi or Sir CV Raman or Einstein, or Chandrasekhar Subramaniam. Look at the marvels of your universe. You become a great thinker and action will follow.

Knowledge empowerment and leadership

When the child is empowered by the parents, at various phases of growth, the child transforms into a responsible citizen. When the teacher is empowered with knowledge and experience, good young human beings with value systems take shape. When individual or a team is empowered with technology, transformation to higher potential for achievement is assured. When the leader of any institution empowers his or her people, leaders are born who can change the nation in multiple areas. The Indian history is witness to this. When the political leaders of the nation empower the people through visionary policies, the prosperity of the nation is certain. The medium for transformation to developed India is the empowerment at various levels with power of knowledge. The second vision for the nation is, transforming developing India into developed India. It should echo in all parts of government organizations including industrial houses, academic institutions, R&D labs, and Law making institutions in all corners of India.

Conclusion

Thinking is growth. Non-thinking is destruction of the individual or organization or the nation. India has to have the Second Vision. Seventy per cent of the India's population is young. Only the vision of the nation can ignite the young minds. The ignited mind empowered with knowledge is the most powerful resource on the earth to bring about this transformation.

Friends, as you all know, India is well placed at the dawn of the knowledge era. We should not miss this opportunity. Our culture and civilization have been enriched over the ages by great thinkers who have always taken an integrated view of life as a fusion of mind, body and intellect. In the coming decades, our young will see a confluence of civilisational and modern technological streams. Civilisation that does not have the knowledge of technology or the technological nations without experience of civilization, cannot innovate newer economy. India has rich civilization and post independent India has focused in strength of technology in Space, Defence, Atomic Energy, Agriculture, Biotechnology, ICT (Information-Communication-Technology) and certain areas of Industry. This combination is a high-energy system. If properly worked for, India will get transformed into a knowledge and economic power. I have always found the principle that works - "breathe success thoughts". It is indeed a great voyage for the nation similar to what we had in 1857, our first vision of the nation was the freedom movement; the second vision is a national voyage for the young with hard work, devotion and dream in the minds that will lead the nation to a developed India. Best wishes to all of you.