Dr A F Pinto
Chairman, Ryan International Group of Institutions

Nov 14: "Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see." This quote of John W Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute beautifully highlights the important responsibility we have towards our children.

Children are the priceless treasures; precious gifts from God. We are accountable to nurture them as holistic individuals with physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs. If today our children are prepared well then they will become the leaders of tomorrow. But if our children are weak then the future of society will be weak. In this context, how true are the words from the Proverbs that tell us, "Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Childhood is the most beautiful of all life's phases. The joy of childhood is always a great remembrance as it consists of happiness and living every moment joyfully with sheer innocence. Childhood has a great significance in the making of an adult. Therefore, the Children’s Day is an important event not only for children but also for parents and teachers as this is the day to celebrate the spirit of childhood and to remind ourselves that our children need to be loved and cared for.

This day is the birthday of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India who is popularly known as Chacha Nehru amongst children. He was a great leader who was keen about the welfare, education and development of children in India. Even though he was very senior in stature, he was fond of children and would spend valuable quality time with them. As a tribute to him, his birthday is celebrated as Children’s Day in India.

Children are fragile and if not loved and treated with respect and dignity, we will have broken adults in future. Therefore, as adults, parents and teachers have onerous responsibility upon their shoulders of making our children the living messages for the future we will not witness.

* Children need to be looked after with kindness, encouraged and nurtured holistically.
* Open up the doors to quality education in order to empower them to face the challenges of the 21st century.
* Make available various opportunities to help them realize their full potential.
* Teach them values to live by.
* Provide them safe environment to live in and enjoy their childhood and grow up to be healthy citizens.
* Above all give them time and listen to them.

Franklin D Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States has aptly said, "We may not be able to prepare the future for our children, but we can at least prepare our children for the future."

On your part, children you need to obey your parents and honour them and do what is right so that everything might go well and you may enjoy a long life on earth with peace, happiness and prosperity. Be grateful to God for your parents and teachers too. In the face of challenges, march forward with confidence to emerge victorious citizens of our country, India. Those of you who are fortunate to have innumerable opportunities at your disposal, should make the best of it and do not take things for granted. In this materialistic world, parents are urged to make their children sensitive towards the less privilege children and encourage them to grow up as socially responsible individuals.

On this Children’s Day, let us pledge to make our children’s childhood safe and an enjoyable and memorable phase of their lives. India has been graciously blessed with children who constitute almost 39% percent of the total population of 1.21 billion people. If they are cared for, valued, loved and nurtured well then India will be a living message of strength, vibrancy and great potential in the whole world.

Wish you a very happy Children's Day!