Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JD)
Mangaluru, Aug 19: "If you build your life around your mother tongue and become successful, then you are truly a successful person," said union railway minister Suresh Prabhu.
He was addressing after distributing the Vishwa Konkani Student Scholarship Fund (VKSSF) Merit-Cum-Means Scholarships-2016 to deserving Konkani students by Konkani Language and Cultural Foundation (KLCF) at TV Raman Pai convention hall here on Friday August 19. Scholarships worth Rs 3.5 crore were awarded to 685 students aspiring to pursue MBBS and engineering courses.
"We must always work together to hold on to the roots of our mother tongue. If we forget the roots, we become ruthless. And if a person becomes ruthless he cannot be a successful," Prabhu said.
"We must always promote our mother tongue. More than learning many languages, it is important to hold on to our mother tongue and contribute to society. When a person works with his mother tongue he is able to give his best in whatever he does. We have seen so many Nobel laureates rendering their speeches in their mother tongues.
"Konkanis have always been visionaries. Their vision is being reflected in the four nationalised banks started by them which are serving the nation now. I call upon all the students present to be the intellectuals, thus making Vishwa Konkani Kendra a world-renowned knowledge exchange centre," he said.
Minister for large and medium industries of government of Karnataka R V Deshapande said, "Merit and quality are the order of the day. If you do not have them, then the education that you pursue is of no use. Be aware of the developments around the world along with obtaining education.
"You are provided with a lot of facilities by your parents and various organisations like Vishwa Konkani Kendra. If you do not use them and work hard for your goals, nobody can help you," he told the students/
The keynote address was rendered by chairman of Manipal Global Education T V Mohandas Pai. "We are in a highly competitive world. Because of automation, the number of jobs for human beings are decreasing and robots are being introduced in the place of humans. Hence, we must enhance our skills and knowledge and to do this, go for PhD after postgraduation. Only then we we will be able to survive for the next 30 years.
"Indian economy will be worth 10 trillion dollars by 2020 and rapid growth will demand more skills. In the next five years we will see the change which has not happened in the past 50 years.
"The only long-lasting asset we have with us is education. People can take away everything from you but not your education. As long as a person is hungry and terrified there will be no peace in society. Hence, after you become successful support your brothers and sisters in India to uplift their living standards," he advised the students.
MD of Ryan International Group of Institutions Grace Pinto said, "Students must always think ahead and never look backward. 'I can, I will and I must' should be your attitude - this attitude will take you to greater heights. May Jesus bless each one of you."
President of Vishwa Konkani Kendra Basti Vaman Shenoy, chairman of VKSSF Ramdas Kamath, entrepreneur Jagannath Shenoy and others were present.