SPEECH BY HER EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA, SHRIMATI PRATIBHA DEVISINGH PATIL AT THE RELEASE OF THE COMMEMORATIVE POSTAGE STAMP ON THE CATHEDRAL AND JOHN CONNON SCHOOL

Mumbai, 27th October 2010

Dear students,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very happy to be here to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Cathedral and John Connon School, and to release a commemorative postage stamp on this occasion. I convey my warm greetings to all teachers, students, alumni, staff, management and all those associated with this reputed educational institution. The school was pioneered and funded by a city philanthropist, barrister and editor, John Connon and posthumously, named after him. This school and the city of Mumbai through a Century and a half, have shared a history of remarkable growth. I wish the school many, many more years of success and excellence in the field of education.

Education is one of the most potent instruments for empowering a population, and therefore, rightly education is a priority sector for any nation. As has been famously said, without education one is like a ship without compass, with no way of knowing how near the harbour is. An effective education system is one that prepares the youth to navigate the journey of life meaningfully. Schools constitute the basic pillars of an education edifice of a nation. Hence, the stronger a system of school education, greater the prospects of progress of a country. Therefore, it is very necessary for schools to impart good education and make students understand the worthiness of discipline, integrity and doing their work with dedication.

As our country is developing and moving towards becoming one of the leading nations of the world, it would need in large measure, the energy, drive and contribution of its people. Every generation looks to its youth with expectation and hope. You are the new generation that can take India to its destiny of a developed nation and for this, I believe your holistic development must receive foremost attention.

Dear Students,

The time that you spend in school, which are your formative years, is valuable. It is here, that your first friendships are formed and as you learn about sharing, you develop a sense of camaraderie. It is here, that the process of imparting knowledge begins, and children acquire skills and values, that will help them in fulfilling responsibilities towards families, society and the nation. You begin with learning alphabets and numbers and through the years in school, get an understanding about a range of subjects. By the time you leave school you are ready to look at options for your future career. Hence, you must use your time in school to learn as much as possible. You should develop a habit of reading, not only textbooks, but also newspapers and literature. India is a storehouse of knowledge. I would encourage you to learn about the diversity of our country in culture, languages, customs, ethos and traditions. It is this richness and multiplicity, which makes India a unique and a great nation of the world. Moreover, we are a democratic nation, in fact the world's largest democratic nation. The students, representing the coming generation, must avoid narrow creeds and seek to build a path for the betterment of society.

Your objective should be to become intellectually competent and technically skilled - your talents are required by the nation. Young students and the youth of the country, therefore, must channelize their skills in developing balanced personalities with positive attitudes. You should participate in sports and other extra-curricular activities, as you are doing. Playing, as a member of a team, develops the ability to work with others to achieve targets and goals. It is sports that can teach you to put in your best and to accept both victory and defeat in the true spirit of a sportsperson.

Like our nation, we must also respect our planet Earth. Nature has been generous to us. Mountains, deserts, valleys, rivers, oceans and forests are important habitats that support ecosystems with diverse life forms. For example, forests host a wide range of fauna and flora, providing us a wide range of products and also giving green coverage. We should teach our children to respect nature for our own good. We must sensibly use its resources, work to conserve its rich flora and fauna, as well as adopt environment friendly approaches.

Teachers have a great responsibility as they create citizens of the future, conscious of their duties towards the nation, the planet and fellow human beings. You should encourage growth, foster a spirit of exploration and discovery, and construct a strong sense of integrity, compassion and generosity. I urge all the teachers present here to promote high moral and cultural values among our children. I am told that the Cathedral and John Connon School has been promoting quality education with focus on the core values of integrity and responsibility. Its staff and its teachers have demonstrated deep dedication to the development of their students. Teachers must interact with the parents of the students. This dialogue on the various aspects of the welfare of the students, can contribute immensely to their improvement. I am glad that this school has a supportive Parent Teacher Association.

The Cathedral and John Connon School has since its inception worked to provide an atmosphere for academic excellence, as well as encourage sports and extra-curricular activities for promoting the overall development of its students. The reputation of any educational institutions is measured through the success and talent exhibited by its students and alumni. This school has been the alma mater of Industrialist JRD Tata - Bharat Ratna awardee and Scientist Dr. Homi Bhabha, men who have been among the distinguished citizens of this country. In addition, a number of alumni have rendered service to the nation and have achieved distinction in various fields. Students of the school have gone to many parts of the world and carried with them the values learnt in school of putting service before self and made their mark, ever conscious of lessons learnt here. I know some of the old boys of the school who were very keen to invite me here - Avinash Naik and Niranjan Naik are among them.

I conclude by conveying my good wishes, once again, to all - the Principal, Mrs. Meera Isaacs, who is the first lady principal of the school, the teachers, students, staff, management and all those associated with this great institution. I wish the school all success and hope it reaches Olympian heights.

Thank You.

Jai Hind!