Speech at Kathmandu University
Members of the faculty,
Distinguished guests,
Dear Students,
It gives me great
pleasure to be standing in front of so many bright and young talents of our
country. The Kathmandu University over the years has become synonym to quality
education. I would like to acknowledge the contribution of the management of
this University for building this institution of higher learning for all who
wish to learn, the Methodists of this area deserve the Nation’s gratitude.
There are few earthly
things more beautiful than a university,” wrote John Masefield in his tribute
to English universities – and his words are equally true today. He did not
refer to towers or to campuses but merely admired the splendid beauty of a university,
because it was, he said, “a place where those who hate ignorance may strive to
know, where those who perceive truth may strive to make others see.”
All of us here are aware
of the setbacks like regular protests, obstruction of the Parliament, the recent
walkout of the Maoists from the Government and a new coalition Government being
put in place etc and wonder if Nepal is really the right place for the youth to
explore for opportunities.
From a recent Nepali
Publication I learnt that according to the Institute for International
Education in New York, the number of Nepali students studying in the US
increased by 27.9 per cent between 2006 and 2007. From 1997-2000, Nepalese
spent an estimated Rs 54 billion studying abroad. Between 1990 and 2005, the number
of students going abroad doubled, which means Nepali students are spending more
than Rs 30 billion annually to study in countries other than India.
We have been through a 12
year conflict ridden environment in the recent past. (Although I must say that
the economy, to a large extent, was still on track during this period and we
have seen an unprecedented pace of development across the board and the growth
rate jumping to 5.6% in 2008).
As a consequence of this
conflict there have been some critical departures as well as structural
changes, both on the economic front as well as on the social front. Nepal, with
the good wishes of the International community and its neighboring countries,
has the distinction of managing this conflict into the mainstream politics. In
the process the new Republic took birth and I feel that this is what started
the process of creating a new era for the country and its development.
But to me the common
enemy is very much alive and vibrant – poverty, deprivation, unemployment and
proper education and the common agenda is equally clear – prosperous “New
Nepal”, which every Party and every person talk about but very little in real
terms to support the cause.
I often ask a question to
myself, or for that matter many other CA members like myself who came from
professional background, as to what am I doing in this critical moment at this
critical juncture? I find that our voice gets lost, no matter how loud it is in
certain forums, when it comes to pushing a more neutral and rational thought
process, as it is all about the number game and who is in the helms of affairs
representing the parties. Unfortunately most of such critical issues are
debated offline than online.
Such are the critical
issues that we are surrounded by. Therefore we are posed with these questions
everyday, when will the constitution be written and if at all it will be
written? Anyway!
It is the view of some
that if is of no use to speak of peace or to be more precise, of a political
consensus until the leaders adopt a more enlightened attitude. I hope they do
and I believe we can help them do it. But I also believe that we must reexamine
our own attitudes, as individuals and as a Nation, for our attitude is as
essential as theirs. And every student of this school, every thoughtful citizen
who despairs of hostilities and wishes to bring peace, should begin by looking
inward, by examining his own attitude towards the possibilities of a newer
Nepal. Ever one of us should be open to the idea of a gradual evolution and
there is o single, simple key to this peace; no grand or magic formula to be
adopted by one or two powers. The process of development must be the product of
every strata of the society, the sum of many acts. It must be dynamic, not
static, changing to meet the challenge of each new generation.
Dear Students,
As an 18 year old, I too
was very keen (like most of you here) on going abroad but right after
completing my schooling I stepped into my family business unexpectedly, partly
by destiny and partly by choice. It was my determination to learn and my vision
to grow that I, with the combined effort of a number of capable individuals,
have been able to take a humble organization like Chaudhary Group to where it
stand today.
I wish for all of you to
realize that today we stand at the beginning of a new tomorrow and the nation
awaits young minds like yours to take it to greater heights. Like President
Obama said, ‘Every single one of us has something we’re good at. Every single
one of us has something to offer. And every single one of us has a
responsibility to discover what that is.
By defining our goals
more clearly, by making it seem more meaningful, manageable and practical, we
can help all people from different walks of life to see it, to draw hope from
it, and to move irresistibly towards it.
Address by: Binod K.
Chaudhary
KUSOM Annual Festival
27th November, 2009
Courtesy: Binod Chaudhary's Blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment