I am delighted to interact with the children in this divine place. I greet the organizers of this programme the Bal Yoga Mitra Mandal for arranging this beautiful function.

Dear Children, you are all in the mission of learning. What learning will give?

?When learning is purposeful, creativity blossoms.

When the creativity blossoms, thinking emanates.

When thinking emanates, knowledge is fully lit.

When knowledge is lit, economy flourishes.?

In the dimensions of knowledge, we can see the scientific, technological history coupled with human endeavours.

Creativity changes life pattern

What we have seen in science and technology in the last 60 years, the predictions and happenings are going at different rates and phases. What was impossible has happened and what is thought possible has not yet happened and it will happen. Particularly in the field of aeronautics, space technology, electronics, materials, computer science and software products, the world has progressed to new dimensions and India itself is a part of these challenges. Indian bio-technologists with business houses will have opportunity of analyzing the available genomic data and lead to production of drugs for healthcare and early treatment. The bioresearch transforming into technology will lead to higher production of agricultural products. In the coming decades, we may see the birth of unified field theory integrating gravitational forces, electro magnetic forces and general relativity theory, space and time as functions. Young people may also see in their time establishment of habitat or industry in one of our planets or moon by human race. The world may also enter into launch of solar power satellites through reusable launch vehicle (hyper plane) system for electricity needs, as fossil based fuel would become rare in fifty to hundred years. These are possible only through creative minds.

On the successful completion of Moon Mission in 1961, Farnbraun, a very famous rocket designer, who built Saturn-V, to launch the capsule with astronauts and made moon walk a reality, in 1975 said ?If I am authorized, I will remove the word impossible?.

In ancient days, Ptolemaic astronomy is a widely used system in calculating the dynamics of various stars and planets. Assumption by then was that the earth is flat. What a scientific struggle had to take place to prove that the earth is spherical in shape orbiting around the sun. The three great astronomers Copernicus, Galileo and Kepler had to give a new dimension to the world of astronomy. Today we take it granted that earth is a globe orbiting around sun and the sun orbits in the Milky Way. All the technological advancements we have today are the outcome of scientific exploration of scientists of earlier centuries. At no time, man was beaten by problems. He strives continuously to subjugate impossibility and then succeeds.

Impossibility to possibility

Human flight is nothing but creativity of human mind and it undergoes several struggles to achieve excellence. In 1890, a great well-known scientist Lord Kelvin, who was the President of Royal Society of London said, ?any thing heavier than air cannot fly, and cannot be flown.? With in two decades Wright Brothers proved man could fly of course at heavy risk and cost.

Creative Indians

In India many innovation and creative thinking took place at various phases of our development. Dr. Vikram Sarabhai in 1960?s said that India should design and develop large satellite launch vehicle and put communication satellite and remote sensing satellite in geo-synchronous orbit and polar orbit respectively. In India this was thought impossible. But this vision statement ignited hundreds of scientist, technologists and thousands of technicians. Today India is capable of building any type of satellite launch vehicles and satellites.

Similarly during 1960?s, I remember that India was in a ship to mouth existence for food grains. If the American ships do not bring wheat, there will be a famine in India. But there were two visionaries who worked together with the farming community and brought the first green revolution. They are the political thinker Shri. C. Subramaniam and the Agriculture scientist Dr. M.S. Swaminathan. Today we produce two hundred million tonnes of food grains, which is not only sufficient for us but we can also export some quantity. In 1980?s, India had a very low base in Information Technology. Some young entrepreneurs with their innovative and creative thoughts, within the difficult boundary conditions of India?s rules and regulations, showed how IT enabled services can fetch export revenue. Subsequently, even Govt. had to bring out innovative and liberalized IT policies. Now, our young IT entrepreneurs are making export revenue of 15 billion dollars. Similarly the Pharma industries are making a positive impact in the India economy.

Till 1953, it was thought that it was impossible to reach the Mount Everest. Hillary and Tenzing disproved this impossibility. Let us take Raman effect; till Sir CV Raman found the molecular scattering, the people did not know why the sea appears to be blue. Similarly, Chandrasekar Subramaniam, discovered that many stars shine and few don?t, thereby he proved the ?Chandrasekar Limit?, which enabled him to discover the Black Hole.

In India, in the 1960?s, none of us dreamt that the nuclear energy can lead to electric power generation or nuclear medicine will be used for the treatment of thyroid disorder and cancer cure. Homi Bhabha?s vision led to the electric energy generated by nuclear power flowing into grid. By another decade, it may generate more than 20,000 Mega watts of power.

Indomitable spirit

Let us study the characteristics of indomitable spirit. It has two components. The first component is that there must be a Vision leading to higher goals of achievement. I would like to recall a couplet from Thirukkural by the Poet Saint Thiruvalluvar written 2500 years ago.

Quote:

It means that whatever may be the depth of the river or lake or pond, whatever may be the condition of the water, the lilly flower always comes out and blossoms. Similarly, if there is a definite determination to achieve a goal even if it is impossible to achieve, the man succeeds.

Many of us have gone through large programmes and projects. We would have experienced that success is not in sight and there are many hurdles. The same poet reminds us at this point of time through another couplet:

We should never be defeated by any problems. We should become master of the situation and defeat the problems. I consider these two Thirukkurals characterize the indomitable spirit.

Conclusion

When a child is empowered by the parents at various phases of growth, the child gets transformed into a responsible citizen. When a teacher is empowered with knowledge and experience, good young human beings with value systems emerge. When a leader of any institution empowers his or her people, leaders are born who can change the nation in multiple areas. When women are empowered, society with stability gets assured. When the political leaders of the nation empower the people through visionary policies, the prosperity of the nation is certain. There is a need to empower the students to explore new avenues for making faster progress in the development mission. When an individual or a team is empowered with technology, transformation to higher potential for achievement is assured.

Friends, you are young and you represent nearly half the population of the nation. Your creative mind is very powerful. Ignited mind is the most powerful resource on the earth, above the earth and under the earth. Wish you all the best. Now I would like to administer the TEN POINT OATH to our children, are you ready?

Ten point oath for the youth of the nation

1. I will pursue my education or the work with dedication and I will excel in it.

2. From now onwards, I will teach at least 10 persons to read and write those who cannot read and write.

3. I will plant at least 10 saplings and shall ensure their growth through constant care.

4. I will visit rural and urban areas and permanently wean away at least 5 persons from addiction and gambling.

5. I will constantly endeavor to remove the pain of my suffering brethren.

6. I will not support any religious, caste or language differentiation.

7. I will be honest and set an example for others to follow.

8. I will work for becoming an enlightened citizen and make my family righteous.

9. I will always be a friend of the mentally and physically challenged and will work hard to make them feel normal, like the rest of us.

10. I will proudly celebrate the success of my country and my people.

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