Speech by Dr. Thohe Pou on the 31st Naga Students’ Union Freshers’ Day 2011
Honorable Chief Guest – NSF President and his two colleagues, NSUD V-President and his two colleagues, NSUP Advisors, NSUP Executives, freshers, well wishers and all the members present here. I want to extend my special thanks to NSUP President and his colleagues for giving me this opportunity to share a few words on Education and the Naga students in the city. Education is one of the most important aspects in human life; education can solve almost all the problem in human life – may be the economic, health or spiritual problem and this is what I personally believe it.
Where we have come from?
Aos are the first who converted into Christianity and they are the first who started the modern education among the Naga community in Nagaland State. In Manipur the Tangkhuls are the first who were converted into Christianity and started the modern education in late 1880s. After more than 50 years of Aos and Tangkhuls started their modern education, many other Naga tribes
commenced their modern education. When we compare with the modern education in India, the Nagas commenced the modern education after more than a century of Indian started the modern Education. However, today we are competing with the mainland Indians in many aspects.
Where we are today?
Today many Nagas are working in different corporate offices, institutions and organizations. The mainland Indians forefathers were engineer, doctors, lawyers etc but our forefathers were illiterate and even today many of our parents are also illiterate. But today many of the Nagas are doing very well in many aspects in many fields. When we introspect to our root and background,
we don’t have any good family or educational background but by God’s grace many Nagas are doing excellently in many fields. Today, even if you are finding difficult to compete with others in your college or working place, we have some good reasons behind. But it does not means that we should not compete with others or give up.
What are the facilities and opportunities in the city?
Today we have lots of facilities and opportunities in the city, which are not available in NE especially in Nagaland and Manipur. When I go to Delhi in 1992, I took up computer Science, but unfortunately I’ve never seen computer in my life before I go to Delhi. But today, the scenario is changing fast… I believe that almost every student might have seen computer, if not might have heard about computer.
In every city, you’ve lots of facilities, infrastructures and opportunities. But all these kinds of facilities and infrastructures also can be very perilous too when we do not utilize it in a proper way. Many of us also can misuse the facilities like mobile phone, Ipod, laptop, internet, hotel, shopping mall, multiplex theaters and many things more. How many of you are addicted to internet, games in internet, sending sms, listening music, going for movie, shopping etc. We need to use our time and money wisely in using all kinds of facilities; otherwise we can be lost in the midst of these multi-facilities, which is around us. What is your educational background?
Many of us may be no from a good school and our parents may be illiterate but our hard work and sincerity will add immense advantages and work wonder in our life. There is one school known as Shajouba Baptist English School, Mao, Manipur and from that school, three alumnus were awarded Doctorates (PhD) and some got into Central Service as of now. So the school that we have come from does not matter much but our sincerity and hard work help us to bring success in our life. Of course coming from a good school will give always add more advantages to our sincerity and hard work. Three years of graduation is also one of the most crucial stages in students life as it can bring immense change in one’s life – may be from bad to good or vice
versa.
What are the main purposes for a student?
1. Good percentage in the examination: As a student, the main purpose of studying is to get good percentage in the exam and no just getting good percentage, but one need to have good knowledge in their own subjects. Do not underestimate any subject or course that you are under going – may be Humanities, Social Science or Science; you only need to be an expert or specialized in that subject. It is always better to be an expert in humanities than having little knowledge and just securing pass mark in commerce or Science.
2. Getting good percentage has two important advantages.
First, it will help you to be confident and your confidence will bring success in your life. We need to build confidence in our life whether we are a student or working in any company or organization. This confidence will come only when you have good knowledge and information with you.
Secondly, as a student it will help you to get into college or good company when you pass out your graduation. Confidence will also bring more successful and will help to mingle and deal others more confidently. I got 2nd Division in my Class 10 and it was good during those days. But today passing in 2nd division is nothing. For a sincere and hardworking student – it is more difficult to fail than passing. I personally feel that today any average student can get 60% under any University or Board.
Thirdly, one needs to learn and possess some basic etiquette. Try to learn living together with other people, learn the team work and learn to adapt new environment. I used to call some of the officers as uncivilized officers. Who are these uncivilized officers? These are the officers – may be in any institution, company or organization who possess a good skills and technically sound but they are unfortunately do not have good team work, basic etiquette and unsocialable or difficult to adjust with other people. They may be technically sound and expert in their own field but miserably useless and ineffective to work with any other social animals.
3. Vision in life: What is your vision in your life? We need to have our own visions and dreams in our life. Education does not means simply going to school or college and finish our studies with good percentage. We need to have broad mind –open-minded, accessible to other people, possess neutrality, unprejudiced. Today when we see from the Naga perspective – we need to FREE from the concept of my village, my tribe and my people as it will bring unity among the Nagas. I wish that we are more to Naga than to our own tribe and people. In other word, consider to be a good Naga than to our own tribe or people. When we have the broad-mind and able to accept other tribes and people, our Naga people here in Pune and back home will have more unity and peace. As we learn to have broad-mind and open our hearts to new concept and many other things, it will help us to adjust and live happily and successfully in the city with other people from diverse cultures and races.
4. Student and monthly expenditure: How many of you are getting Rs 5000-10,000/- per month from your parents? How much are you expecting to earn in a month after your graduation or post graduation? Today, in India even some of the fresh MBA and Engineer starts earning around Rs 8000-10,000 per month, and for the students from Humanities and Social Science may be able to earn only Rs 5000-7000 per month. Once you are graduated, you may want to work in government or private sector, and if your monthly earning will be less than you monthly expenditure during your student life, how are you going to manage to live in the city?
As a student, you need to live on with only your basic needs; otherwise you will have a great problem in the future. I have seen some of students, especially from Nagaland who do not want to work in the city after their graduation as some of them can not earn more than what they used to get from their parents during their student life. Today, if you live a luxurious life depending on your parents’ money, you will come to face the problem after your graduation or when you start working.
(Exhortation/Short Speech delivered during the 31st Naga Students’ Union, Pune Freshers Day on 20th August 2011)
Source: http://nsupune.com/nsup/2011/10/speech-by-dr-thohe-pou-on-the-31-st-naga-students-union-freshers-day-on-20th-august-2011/
My Perception and I 