Speeches of the Distinguished Guests

Dr. Dulal Mondal (Professor of Jadavpur University) remarked that Sankar Halder is Mukti’s helmsman, and his dream is to make the dreams of the TSS beneficiaries come true. He conveyed his blessings to the students for growing up and realizing their dreams.

Mr. Pradeep Chandra (CEO of Elogix Software Pvt. Ltd.) appreciated the hard work, time, and patience put in by Mukti to convert good intentions into good action. He assured the students from his life experiences, that where the will is strong, obstacles will be overcome. He concluded by quoting Martin Luther King Jr: “Fly, if you cannot fly then run if you cannot run then walk if you cannot walk then crawl but for God’s sake move, move forward.”

Mr. Animesh Dutta (Custom silicon design Engineer at Apple Inc and Electrical Eng. from IIT and a recipient of the circuits and system society. VLSI Transactions Best Paper Award in Asia) said that within a brief time with Mukti, he has been inspired and felt the differences from other organizations, such as the opportunity for face-to-face interactions or conference calls with students. He narrated how, although he had helped students earlier, he was still looking for a different kind of platform, which he found in Mukti. He said he would like to spread Mukti’s message in his circle. He shared that he himself grew up in a village, and believed that with enthusiasm, good intentions, and determination, one will be successful.

Mr. Niladri Bagchi (a medical practitioner and a TSS sponsor) started with a quote from Rabindranath Tagore: “O poverty you have made me great, what you have given me is the honor of Christ”. He explained his belief of how the curse of poverty can be turned into a life-lesson opportunity with the right mindset and determination. He congratulated the beneficiaries for walking on that very path and said that they should accept Mukti’s helping hand more as a right, than as a favor, provided that they themselves fulfill their duty of helping others similarly in the future.

Mr.Debarshi Saha (CSR representative of Srijan Realty Pvt. Ltd. and TSS sponsor) expressed his gratitude to Mukti for the opportunity to work for such brilliant students. He also said that the students, in turn, are fortunate to be a part of an organization working tirelessly for the student’s benefit. He highlighted corruption as the foremost current issue after education and hunger and appealed to the students to oppose corruption in every way. He assured the gathering that his company, Srijan Realty Pvt. Ltd., will stand with Mukti’s cause.

Mr. Chandan Kumar Maity (Headmaster of Krishnachandrapur High School and General Secretary of Advanced Society of Headmasters and Headmistress (ASFHM)) expressed his concern at the changing times and changing nature of educational expectations. He opined that earlier people obtained education for the sake of education, but now the focus has shifted to other benefits brought about by education. He said while people are only concerned about their immediate self-interest, Mukti is working relentlessly for the good of others. He mentioned how during covid, Mukti supplied 500 oxygen concentrators to him to help disadvantaged people all over West Bengal. He mentioned Mukti’s cyclone relief and other work as well. He encouraged the students to demand from the government a sufficient number of teachers in government schools. He concluded with the words of an unknown soldier poet: “If I die in the combat zone, box me up and send me home, pin all my medals all over my chest and tell my mom I did the best ”.

Dr. Tarun Kumar Naskar (Prof of JU and Ex MLA and member of the education streaming committee)mentioned that he started off as a student at Jadavpur University, and later, as a teacher there, had the Mukti president Sankar as his student. He said that the lines of the event’s opening song “Amare Na Jeno Kori Prokash Amaro Apono Kaaje” was a good description of Sankar, as despite doing amazing work, he is averse to propaganda. Dr. Naskar told the audience about the life story of the celebrated statistician Dr. Meghnad Saha, who was born into a very poor family in a small village in present-day Bangladesh. He narrated the difficulties he faced, how he overcame them, and how he went worked for the upliftment of his native village after he established himself and other social causes that he was involved in. With this context, he expressed his gladness to see past TSS scholarship recipients coming forward to help other students. He also expressed his agreement with Mr. Maityon on the role of students to stop the privatization of education.

Ms. Poly Das (TSS sponsor) said that the students have an opportunity to walk with Mukti to fulfill their dreams. She said if the student’s success was the tree, then Mukti was its roots. She appealed to the students to nurture the roots of the tree by serving Mukti’s cause after achieving their personal dreams.

Mr. Rabindranath Ganguly (TSS sponsor) said he was very inspired to see TSS alumni students coming forward at such young ages to help other needy students. He quoted Rabindranath: “The textbook is often not a very pleasant read but it has to be done. Reading foreign books will increase the power of perception, power of thinking, power of ideas”. The world should know, and society should keep consciousness. You have to keep social consciousness from your age. Be good, be happy yourself and make people happy.

Mr. Saikat Mondal (TSS sponsor) said that one cannot find fulfillment in life without finding a purpose. He said helping others and moving forward together with others makes everyone better off in life. He concluded with his wish that Mukti’s initiatives reach far and wide.