Empowering with education

"There are three sources that can build a youth with righteousness in the heart. One is the mother, second is the father in a spiritual environment and the third and the most important is the teacher, particularly primary school teacher.” These words by Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam were addressed to the students and staff of The J. B. Petit High School for Girls when the former President of India came on a day’s visit to Bombay on March 10, 2010. It is righteousness, coupled with creativity and courage that leads to knowledge, reinforced the erstwhile aeronautical engineer, reminding the students that knowledge is one friend that will always accompany them even when they leave the portals of the school.

But the focus that morning was not on farewell but to explore one’s potentiality to a fare-thee-well. The gateway to the School wore a festive look. On the pavement outside was an unprecedented posse of security personnel. Within, awaiting Kalam’s arrival, was a traditional Parsi sés after which he was greeted with a Tamilian arti. As he proceeded to the hall, girls draped in the traditional attire of different communities showered him with rose petals. While he lit the lamp the JB chanters sang a befitting hymn. Since there were strict instructions from his office that there should be no program organized, he was only welcomed with one Tamil song after which three girls who had composed Hindi poems in his honor recited them for him.

Next morning came a call from his office stating that the verses should be urgently e-mailed to him. Appreciating the efforts of each of these students, he sent them an acknowledgement. He was equally elated with the scrap book on recycled paper that was dedicated to him wherein interested students of all grades got an opportunity to express their innermost thoughts. A specially crafted paper sculpture bearing his visage and his ideals was yet another creative tribute organized for him.

The presence of Kalam in their midst was "a valuable education for all of us,” summed up the principal of the School, Anahita DeVitre. The day prior to his arrival the principal gave the socially privileged students of this elite school an insight into his humble background, travails and philosophy that brought the unassuming scientist much acclaim in life.

To succeed one must have an aim in life before 20 years of age, acquire knowledge continuously, work diligently towards the aim and persevere to defeat the problem, the ex-President outlined the four-fold approach. Citing a verse from the 13th century Persian Sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi, Kalam reminded his young admirers, "You were born with potential… with goodness and trust… with ideas and dreams... with greatness… with wings./ You are not meant for crawling,/ so don’t, you have wings./ Learn to use them to fly.”

He recalled the "pioneering achievements of Premchand Roychand, Mary Prescott and Jehangirji Bomanji Petit who were responsible for creating the School and ensuring that the institution was open to all Indian girls even in times of financial troubles.” (Known as Miss Prescott’s Fort Christian School in 1860, it was renamed The J. B. Petit High School for Girls in 1946.) On behalf of the nation he expressed his gratitude "to these great souls for their visionary action in facilitating the knowledge empowerment of Indian women through education.”

Eliciting a promise from the students that they would likewise impact the world in a positive way through knowledge, he also sought a commitment that each of them would plant five trees and ensure their growth. As he explained, each mature tree absorbs 20 kg of carbon dioxide in a year while releasing 14 kg of oxygen. The question-answer session that followed was a lesson for the teachers that even enquiries that appear inane deserve a befitting response. P. M. G.