Words of Wisdom: Convocation Address – Dr. Narendra Jadhav

Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University’s Vice chancellor, Dr. Sudhir Gavhane, the special guest of honor Dr. Vinaykumar Pathak, Members of the Board of Management, Academic Council, all the heads of various departments, special invitees to today’s convocation ceremony, esteemed journalists, students, parents and assembled brethren. Coincidentally this is a special year as we are celebrating the Maharashtra State’s golden jubilee celebration.


Late. Honorable Shri. Yashwantrao Chavan, an incomparable statesman, a socially sensitive and progressive personality, an intelligent connoisseur of the arts, culture and literature and a people’s representative who has his eye on the pulse of the masses, such a beloved politician of the Marathi people, was the first Chief Minister of this state. I am honored to be present at the convocation ceremony of a university that has been named after this individual. I am extremely happy about this. Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University’s 16th convocation ceremony has me here as the Chief Guest and my heartfelt thanks for this honor goes to the Honorable Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Sudhir Gavhane and all the office bearers of this University.


In any university, the occasion of convocation is the best day in the academic calendar. The completion of an educational endeavor and achievement of a post is the cause for celebration at an event such as this. Various students who shall be awarded degrees have completed their education whilst being gainfully employed. I wish to congratulate all the students who have understood the broad meaning of education and have not considered it as a means only to earn livelihood; instead have taken it as the master key to developing their persona, as individuals. I wish to specially congratulate the jail inmates, both male and female brethren, for acquiring their degree, and the university for providing them with the support to earn their degree. Being the fifth open university instituted in this country, YCMOU has lived up to its anthem, ‘Dyanganga Gharoghari’, and in doing so has also through various initiatives, not only at state level, but also nationally and on an international platform, has carved a niche for itself. For this achievement, I congratulate the Vice-Chancellor and all present here today.


I deliberately want to tell the students that I especially wish to congratulate them today for one special reason. We are all fortunate that our country is at an important threshold at this very time that you are graduating. We know that Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The only thing constant in life is change”. Our present situation is rapidly changing in great strides. Some may say that change is always occurring but in the past couple of years, the momentum has picked up pace. In the past decade, the changes have been so monumental as to have never having occurred in all of known time, also in the millennial decade, the pace has been phenomenally speedy. Even on an international level, as nationally, the change has been occurring quite monumentally. In the year 1991, after the economic catastrophe, through various economic measures, our country had a rapid recovery and in the past sixteen seventeen years, we have had several important milestones as a country, on which I would like to elaborate and speak to the students.


Let us first examine the important milestones that our country has had. In these, some have been good, some bad. I feel like placing the complete picture before you. What have been the good changes that have occurred thus far? The first good change is that we are now definitely economically more prosperous than before. We became independent in 1947, while in 1951 we drew up the development plan. In the first three decades, what was our growth rate? When we were talking about socialistic revival, our growth rate was only 3.5%. Population growth was clocked at 2.2% and our per capita income was 1.3% per annum. Had we continued our tortoise-like growth rate how many years would it have taken us to double our standard of living? It would have taken us 51 years.


Even before we got independence Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had visualized that post-Independence, every decade we would double our standard of living. The reality is since 1951, when we were achieving planned development, in thirty years the per capita income had been only 1.3/10 %, which means at that growth rate it would take us 59 years to progress. What China achieved in 11 years, Korea did 13, Malaysia in 15 years, Indonesia in 19 years that would have taken us 59 years. We did not ask then to ourselves that why do we need 59 years what others can achieve in much shorter time? We sensed the gravity of this situation after the 1991 economic crisis. After that, we began our upwardly mobile growth phase. In the first decade, during 1992 - 2002, our growth rate had reached 6%. In the period of 2002 to 2005, it hit 8%. During 2005 - 2008, the growth rate was 9%; while in September 2008, when the economic crisis hit the world the growth rate globally had come to a stand still, our growth rate dropped to a steady 6.8% and it remains so till today.


Hence, our first achievement was we had increased our growth rate. The second achievement is that we could decrease the number of those that are below poverty line. When we were campaigning to eradicate poverty, 44% were below the poverty line. Some people feel that economic reforms are to smother poor people. If that were the case then the people below poverty line would have increased, this not being the case, the number has steadily declined. In 2004 - 05, the percentage of below poverty line came down to 28.5. The third achievement is of tremendous import. In 1991, our forex reserves had dwindled to a measly one crore USD. This has had a gargantuan boost and has increased to now 300 crore USD. Even now, it is at a level of 250 crore USD. The most important point is that the nation that would go with a begging bowl each year to the IMF and the World Bank, instead of being the debtor is now the lender. In the past four years, we have started lending money to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The amount is not large but it is the change of the role that is crucial. This is the positive side although this is not the only facet that can be counted.


I have pointed out three positive points and now for the three negative points. Even though our growth rate has been on the rise, the same cannot be said about our employment rate. Which is why the steady divide between the rates are of growing concern to us, this is the first part. The second part is even though we have reduced the number of persons living below poverty line, it is still 27-28 %. This means even today 30 to 32 crore people are living below poverty line even today. This is not laudable. I feel that unless we have completely wiped out poverty, it is unbecoming of us to call ourselves a super power. We still have a dubious distinction of housing the largest number of poor people in the world; the largest number of illiterate people in the world, and we have to work towards removing that. Third important point is that while comparing economic growth criteria amongst all nations globally, we rank second. In an international survey, among 145 nations, we rank 127 in terms of human development index. This disparity is the greatest challenge that lies before us at this time.


To nurture this change, it is imperative that we invest in qualitative education. Keeping this in mind, huge investment has been made in educational initiatives in the XI Five Year plan. In the next two years, in our country, we are going to see sweeping changes in the field of education. YCMOU and other such universities will have to play a pivotal role in such a scenario. Hereafter, to increase our reach, quality and excellence, by any measures we cannot depend solely on the conventional mode of education, neither can we solely depend on the open and distance learning mode; instead we must through the convergence of technology and methodology, combine the two methods to reach education and consciousness about it far and wide.


The value of education has never been higher than it is today. Hereafter, it is only going to get more valuable. On what basis are we envisioning ourselves as becoming a super power? On the basis of our youth, the percentage of which is high and is steadily increasing. Today the average age in India is 24 years. In 2020, it is going to 27 to 28 years, at time, China’s average age will be 37 years, America will have an average of 37 years and Japan will have an average of 44 years. Fortunately, we have the benefit of youth on our side. Globally, all the developed nations had a growth spurt and developed only when they had the age factor on their side. Now the sides have changed, the developed nations are having an increase in older populace whereas countries like India are being benefited by their youth factor. This does not mean that solely on the basis of our being young, we will become a super power automatically. If only we educate and mentor our young generation today, we can hope to achieve our goal of becoming an economic superpower. On the contrary, if we fail to do so we would have lost our one decisive strength of youth in becoming an economic superpower if we do not take stock now. This is why incisive, fundamental changes are needed in the field of education. When I look at the changes brought at YCMOU, I am happy for the university has the temerity to make such a change. This is the factor that shall take us ahead. I congratulate the university for its momentum.


Students, wherever I go, I am asked repeatedly one particular question, what is the secret of your success? Those of you who have read my book, ‘Aamcha Baap Aani Aamhi’ would vouch that there is a philosophy that I endorse. Every individual has a talent inborn; it may be in arts or even in the sports field. ‘Useless’ is not a word applicable to any individual, only that you have to find the talent of that individual, and to kick start this process is the job of education.


To educate and to nurture are the two functions of education. In my family’s seventeen generations, no one was educated and yet when I started going to school and coming first, visitors would ask me, when you grow up what will you be? In that time, as do most young children, I also fawned and shyly sidestepped. Once, my elder brother put this question before me and with a view towards answering truthfully I replied that when I grow up, I should be a writer. Upon hearing my reply, his expression was dour. He felt that I would starve, I felt bad about that. My father who happened to hear this exchange called me and asked, “What did you say you would become?” I again began to fawn and fidget. He then in his gruff tone said, “People may say what they wish, become a doctor, an engineer or a barrister, do not listen to anybody. Pay a deaf ear even to what I say, whatever you choose to become, ensure that you reach the top in that field. What he meant to say at that time, I did not fathom. However, in America, when I heard the term ‘search for excellence’, it finally dawned on me in a civilized language what my father meant to say, in his simple rustic way.


What you do is secondary to how you do it. In the same manner, in what you choose to do, to what extent are you successful; this is of core importance. Your education is a perennial pursuit. In the changing times, if you do not realize this you will lag behind, and you must be aware of this. A degree is not the destination; it is a tool. To progress, the most important thing is your attitude. Everyone must at least once evaluate his or her attitude. Our attitude is created through education and social environment. So many times our attitude is outdated. There are many past conservative values that have taken root in our subconscious. There is a need to wipe clean such past conditioning. In our childhood we have heard a rhyme, ‘Yere yere pausa, tula deto paisa’, from this rhyme we can gather that we can call the rain and give it counterfeit money when it comes; from such attitude we can only make clerks, not the entrepreneurs. ‘Lahan mazi bahuli, mothi tichi sawli’ meaning ‘small is my doll, big is her shadow’, in this nursery rhyme, there is a description of the doll. Look at the next line. The next line is ‘The chappatis made were uncooked, the rice was overcooked, she went to the well to fetch water, slipped and broke her two teeth’, this means did anyone charge her with these duties that she did? Why didn’t she just idle away? This inert laziness is evident in this. This lesson is apparent in our attitude as well.


In Marathi we often hear people saying, he ‘got’ the job, while he ‘fell’ in enterprise’, from such a sentence, what our attitude is exhibited. In a business endeavor, there is ‘fall’ is the blind belief that is prevalent. ‘Simple living and high thinking’ is an outdated philosophy in the present changed times. An even more ridiculous phrase would be ‘Only spread your legs as far as the length of your bed sheet’; in this day and age, this is most certainly nonsensical. If we spread our legs only as long as our cloth reaches then it won’t be long before another spreads his legs far enough into our covering. Instead, we must try to spread our cloth as far as possible. Do not make a virtue out of poverty. In our schools, poverty is made out to be akin to martyrdom, so much so that when you are well to do, you feel like you have committed a crime. For this reason, it is not possible to take delight in anything. A poem describes a mathadi worker who could sleep contentedly using his container for a headrest. He is at peace, whereas a rich man who sleeps in a palace on a feather mattress suffers from blood pressure, diabetes and other hard to name diseases; he is not at peace. Poverty is ‘robust’ while wealth is ‘lame’ is an extremely illogical idea. Poverty is never ‘robust’ and wealth does not become ‘lame’ by itself, it may be so if it is ill gotten. However, if wealth is gained through honest means, then there is no reason to feel guilty a bout it.


Friends, there is no need to glorify poverty and if you encounter someone who does, then do not believe him. The wealthy have spread false rumors about wealth to keep the poor impoverished. Recognize this. There is nothing wrong in earning money from rightful opportunities and in living the lifestyle you wish to live. That is your right. Do not throw away your right nor feel guilty about it. We worry excessively about what other people will say. We do not pay attention to what we feel. Students, as we live, we take plenty from society. After we are successful, the thought comes to us that it is now time to pay back to society. In the current generation, the youth seem to have forgotten this largely. Specially those from the IT sector who may know what is happening currently in America, but may have no idea about what is happening in their own neighborhood. They have no idea about the issues that plague the society that they hail from or the environment that we were brought up. I call such people ‘High IQ Morons’, which means they are intelligent people with no mind. No matter how high your IQ is if you are not socially conscious, nor do you have the inclination to repay the debt you owe to society, what is the point? There is no way to call them anything other than brainless.


In my opinion today the teachers must take special care that after receiving the degree their students do not become ‘High IQ Morons’. Similarly, care must be taken to increase the level of commitment felt by the students nowadays. I congratulate all those students who have received top honors here today. I wish them all the best for their future endeavors. I also wish to congratulate the university for its journey ahead, here on. Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra.