JASWANT SINGH GANDAM / RAMAN NEHRA
India Post News Service
PHAGWARA: Underlining the need of education being a catalyst for change and shaping good human beings wedded to service of the poor and the disadvantaged, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash Kainth exhorted youths, especially students, to be path makers and not mere path takers.
Addressing the golden jubilee function of the local Guru Nanak College on the occasion of commencement of its new academic session, Kainth, who was the Chief Guest, told students that only those leave their footprints on the sands of time who serve mankind with selflessness, sincerity and dare to chalk out a new course.
“Make your own path, set a new trend rather than traversing beaten tracks,” he advised youths.
He quoted poetic lines of famous Punjabi poet Surjit Patar to drive home his point: “Mein rahan te nahi turda, Mein turda han ta rah banadey, Yugan to kafley aundey, Merey sach de gawah banadey(I don’t traverse beaten tracks, I walk down to make paths, caravans come since ages to wear witness to this truth).”
Asking students to be truthful, he admitted that youths take politicians with a pinch of salt as most of them cling to chairs and tell lies.
“PM Narendra Modi, in our first meeting, told us that if your intention is good and the path is truthful, people will automatically give their support to you,” he said.
He stressed that education should produce good citizens and gentle human beings.
“He who serves the poor is a good human being”, he said.
“People forget billionaires but remember those who dared, shared and cared for humanity”, he remarked.
“Guru Nanak and Sant Kabir were not billionaires but we remember them even today because they had the guts to speak the truth and left behind their footprints by serving mankind,” he Kainth said.
He reminded students and management that the college was named after the great Guru Nanak whose 550th Birth anniversary will be celebrated in November.
He gave a Rs 500,000 grant to the college from his MPLAD fund.
College patron Jarnail Singh Wahid expressed concern over the exodus of youths from Punjab to foreign countries.
SGPC member Sarwan Singh Kular also spoke on the occasion.
College principal Dr Gurdev Singh Randhawa presented the college report, listing its stellar achievements in academic, cultural and sports fields.
College president Jatinderpal Singh Palahi announced that an ultra modern new computer lab will be set up at a cost of Rs 50 lakh.
The president and principal feted the guests with bouquets and special shawls.
Meritorius students were awarded by the minister.
Mayor Arun Khosla and Deputy Mayor Ranjit Singh Khurana were also present, among others.
Earlier, in observance of ‘Ardas Divas’, Sukhmani Sahib hymns were recited, followed by langar or community lunch.
