Man is the centrepiece of creation. There is nothing more precious or beautiful than human life on the planet earth.
Inspirational Speech given by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling before the final match of the LD Kazi Memorial Gold Cup -interschool Football Tournament held on May 4, 2015 at Chakhung Playground. It was attended by the students from 33 schools under the Soreng Sub-division.
Part I
I am here to have a heart to heart conversation with you. It is very sunny and you are probably finding it hard to sit out there. Your open umbrellas give me the feeling of electioneering times. The umbrella is such thing that it can be used in sunny days, rainy days and even in weddings and so on. There is a big umbrella story. The Umbrella is behind the success story of the Sikkimese people. A happy change was ushered into Sikkim ever since the Sikkimese people came under the umbrella. Dear students, you can write an essay on Sikkim. Sikkim merged with the Union of India on May 16, 1975 as the 22nd state of India. We observe the day as State Day. When you write an essay on the 40 year long history of Sikkim you will be investigating a lot of things. A referendum was held on April 14, 1975 in which 98 % of the people had voted in favour of Sikkim’s merger with India. This was the first ever incidence of such a kind in the political history of India in which an entire country merged with India through a referendum. This is a subject of research. This could be the first ever such incidence in the world.
Truth is revealed through events. It can never be revealed through deceit. Nobody should remain in deception. Today we have gathered to witness the final match of the LD Kazi Memorial Gold Cup. This could be one of the happy moments of your life which then inspired you to take a new decision in your life. Such little events in life can snowball into transformation. Take a look at Isaac Newton’s life story – the scientist who discovered the law of gravity. He had no idea whatsoever that such an astonishing thing would take place at that time. He was a very religious man. When he saw an apple falling from the tree to the ground, it startled him and he began to think. This little incident triggered his thinking which brought about a huge shift in his life. A little event can bring about a complete change in our life.
Dear students, you are our wonderful future, our bright future, our beautiful future. I, Pawan Chamling would like to extend my honour and deep love to you all. I can feel you but you probably only think of me. I know the distinctness of the natural, economic and geographical situation of this place in comparison to other districts of Sikkim. Just like a mother, I can feel you and it pains me deep down in my heart.
I am not here to seek your vote. You must agree with me on that. Soon after we formed the government we came to you. I came here on your behalf, hoping to contribute something, to impart mental strength, to instil confidence in you. I have come here hoping to foster and nourish your dreams. I want to engage you in the process.
Our educational/academic backwardness is the reason why we are lagging behind in other fronts. Formal education started for the first time in Alexandria in Egypt. Plato pioneered education in Athens and Confucius in China. Confucius was just three years younger than Buddha. In Sikkim, we have not given birth to a Confucius nor a Plato. Our formal education is not even 100 years old. Ever since the people elected me as their Chief Minister in 1994, I have been agonizing over the all-around development of Sikkim. We are looking to transform our state that is lagging behind in every sphere into a state like that of a first world country. We have been working resolutely with a sense of urgency to this effect. Realizing that education is the most effective weapon to move people ahead we are making education the utmost priority.
3500 years ago, even in the Rig Vedic era, there were people and rulers. Brahmins and Kshatriyas were rulers and the common people were referred to as Shudras. Even in that era people were oppressed and exploited. There were oppressor and tyrants as well. Three thousand, five hundred years later, those Shudras of yester years are still the common people. In the modern age, people are stratified as middle class, lower middle class, working class, underclass and so on. There are no underclass people in Sikkim. We do not have extremely poor people in our state. The percentage of poor people in the state is 6%. The highest percentage of people belong to the middle class and 20% of people are in the rich category. When we came to power in 1994, there were only two classes –the rich and the poor. We are working with a program and goal of making Sikkim the first poverty free-state in the country.
The rich can afford to send their children anywhere for education while 80% of the people cannot. We are therefore, providing free education to the children of those 80% people. The students who have gathered here are the children of those parents. Today, 74% of the Sikkimese people belong to the middle class. The emergence of the middle class is the contribution of our government, which rose from the poor class. When the children of the poor rise higher they know their rights and responsibilities. There were no colleges and universities in Sikkim except Tadong College and Night Law College. Since we came to power, 18 colleges and 5 universities have been establish and 4 more colleges are in the pipeline. All this has been done for the children of middleclass and poor people. They must get an education.
We have made arrangement to provide nutritious food to ICDS children six days a week. Once a week they get milk, egg and dry fruit. If a snake arises to steal the milk or a mouse invades to filch the fruit, people must rise up to deal with them. A lack of nutritious food leads to malnutrition. Children suffer from mental delays and anaemia. The children of the poor also deserve to enjoy sound physical and mental health. ASHA workers have been hired as child care givers. ASHA workers do not get a salary in other states. We are also administering cervical cancer screening for our girls and women as a preventative measure. I care for you all very much. Man is the centrepiece of creation. There is nothing more precious or beautiful than human life on the planet earth. Therefore, in order that the lives of Sikkimese citizens might be good, beautiful and disease-free, we have initiated such preventative measures. It is said that in the first world countries, the maximum number of deaths of females is caused by cervical cancer. We do not want that to happen in Sikkim. One of the objectives of the CATCH program is to prevent it.
A new technology for diagnostic tests has been developed in California. This test involves an analysis of sputum and will determine all the probable diseases the person may have. In this age of ours, preventative measuresare being given more prominence than curative measures. We are following suit in Sikkim. We want our Sikkimese people to be healthy both physically and mentally.
We launched the CMMS Scheme. Whether or not others are happy about it, I am immensely pleased with it. Nowadays our children are even studying in top notch schools of India like Doon and Scindia. Being a simple man myself, I want all our people to be smart and educated so that they cannot be exploited. Nowadays the Sikkimese people are becoming passionate about education. It is a good sign.
In primary and lower primary schools the number of children is really dwindling. We are going to introduce a kindergarten system. We will also lower the admissible age of children. Sikkim is recording a very low birth rate. The normal increase rate is 3 % but it is only 1.8 % in Sikkim. This could become a social issue. Germany, which has one of the lowest birth rates is battling a huge population drop. Colleges are closing down. Even here, primary schools are closing down. Children should be allowed to come into this world. Sikkim is getting better and we need our successors to look after it.
Women are the progenitors of procreation. Mother makes the world. I therefore salute them as I work. Sikkim has witnessed the all-around development of women which is why Sikkim is undergoing a transformation in a distinctive way.
No power on earth can stop human desires and dreams. But we have to have a strong will and solid dreams and we have to have the determination to fulfil them. Students, you have to invest the time and energy of the first 25 years of your life in acquiring education and knowledge. Education and learning is like a meditative process. Therefore we have to fully concentrate on education till the age of 25. Do not waste your time. The years between 25 and 50 are for the establishment of a career and family life. The years, 50-75 are intended for investing in social, state and national causes. We have to think about humanity, environment and the country. From 75-100 years we have to share our knowledge, understanding and wisdom. These things will only make Sikkim better.
Retired teachers should also contribute to the development of Sikkim. Write books. Think about Sikkim all your life. Everybody has to contribute to the cause of the next generation and future. Let us work together to craft the future of Sikkim.
Students, there are many colleges, universities and educational institutes for you. The time has come for you to think and plan your future course of action and goal setting. If you want to become a politician, there are only 32 seats for MLAs and 2 seats for MPs. If you want to seek a government job, Sikkim already has 60 thousand employees which is 10% of the population. There is one employee out of every 10 people. Until they retire there will be no vacancy. If you want a job, you have to opt for job oriented subjects. B.Sc. in Nursing would be one good option as it opens job opportunities everywhere. The US is in need of three lakh nurses right now. They work on an hourly basis. A health technician can be a good option as well. There are all kinds of technicians. There is a better chance of job placement. Pharmacy is another high demand option. There are many other options other with higher employment opportunities than medicine (doctors) and engineering. The hospitality service is one area where Sikkimese boys and girls are preferred because they do not have a bad body odour. Go for a higher education. There is a need of teachers, lecturers and professors in Sikkim. Gone are the days when simply graduating with a degree mattered a lot. Now capability, knowledge, quality and leadership give you an edge. Merely displaying a certificate worked in the past but it no longer works. Recommendations no longer work. Our Sikkimese students are graduating from schools and universities but now they have to come out of life’s exam with flying colours. You have to go for life-oriented education.
Politics is not bad in itself but it is because of unethical politicians and their unethical policies, principles, vision and moral values, that politics has lost its worth. In a sense, political leaders are teachers.
Socrates died by drinking a poison called hemlock. Why did he die? He didn’t want to change his ideas and principles under pressure from anyone. He rather chose death. Nobody would have known him today if he had not stood for the principles he held. He was just a mason but he was incredibly knowledgeable. Likewise Saint Kabir had no formal education. An awoken soul is sensitive to the pains and sorrows of humanity. A responsible person is awoken.
Sukhiya Sab Sansar Hai, Khawai AurSowe.
DukhiyaDaasKabir Hai, Jagai Aru Rawe.
(The world is so happy, they eat and sleep. Kabir is so sad he keeps awake and weeps.)
Students, you have to be responsible people who live for your society and country. If you become dependent and lazy, Sikkim will be ruined. If you become responsible people, Sikkim will always smile and Sikkim’s future will smile. You have to therefore live for the future of Sikkim. Here is another couplet of Kabir’s:
Jag me jab tuaayatha,jag hasaaturoyatha.
Karnikuchaisikarja, jag royeaurtu hasta ja.
(When you were born in this world, they laughed while you cried
Live such work behind you that you die laughing while they cry)
When we die let the world mourn but let us die laughing. It is said, “Mann jite jag jeete” (Conquer your mind and conquer the world). Nobody can defeat another person in this world. Man is defeated by his own weakness. He is defeated when he loses his heart. Lose your heart and you lose the world. We have to conquer the world with our heart. Why do our people keep their vision so narrow and their dreams so small? Even those with Ph.D.s have such small dreams. I felt so encouraged when 20 Ph.D. came to visit me just before the election. I hoped that they would enlighten me with their intellectual input on their subjects. But to my utter shock, they asked me to give them employment. They were nothing more than common people.
(To be continued)
Women are the progenitors of procreation. Mother makes the world. I therefore salute them as I work. Sikkim has witnessed the all-around development of women which is why Sikkim is undergoing a transformation in a distinctive way.