FELICITATION PROGRAMME IN THE HONOUR OF CANDIDATES QUALIFIED
IN THE CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION-2013
Dated: 10-8-2014
Indian Social Institute,
New Delhi-110003.
Common
Concern is a conglomeration of academician, professionals like doctors,
engineers, lawyers, civil servants, non-governmental organization,
entrepreneurs, mangers and professional working in public and private sector in
the country. It is platform where the participants have voluntarily resolved to
leave their ego and chair behind and have come together to delve upon the
issues concerning community. The rational and spirit behind this initiative is
to act as IDEA GENERATING intellectual core group. This platform has been
instrumental in initiating a dialogue and debate on a range of issues impacting
the progress and development of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Other
Backward Classes (OBCs) in this country.
A Felicitation Programme was organised by the Common Concern
on 10-8-2014 at 15:00 hrs at the Indian Social Institute, Institutional Area,
New Delhi-110003 in the honour of successfully qualified candidates in the Civil
Services Examination-2013 who would be joining various services under the
Government.
It was a matter of immense satisfaction that despite heavy
rains and festival of Raksha Bandan, so many friends braved to make it to the programme.
Every one among the successful candidates impressed the distinguished audience
with their eloquence, high intellect, commitment to the Community consciousness
and the pledge of integrity of approach in their personal and professional
life. They are indeed the torch bearers and future of the community and the
country and would play their role, in effective manner, in making Bharat a
Prabudha Bharat. Greetings, best wishes and blessings were conveyed by everyone
present to the young achievers.
I welcomed all the guests and set the tone of the programme.
It was followed by an impressive discourse by Shri Anand S. Krishna, IRS,
Commissioner Income Tax. Ambassador Bal Anand shared his experience of being a
Diplomat and working around the world. Shri Devendra Chaudhry, IAS, Additional
Secretary, Ministry of Power, Shri Anil Sant, IAS and Joint Secretary in the
GoI, Shri P.C. Das, Indian Civil Account Service, CMD National Handicapped
Financial Development Corporation (NHFDC), Government of India, Dr Satish
Chandra, IRAS (Retired) and presently a practicing Advocate in the Supreme
Court of India, Dr. Devyani Khobragade, Indian Foreign Service, and Shri Mahendra
Ranga IRS also addressed the gathering.
Prof. Vivek Kumar of
JNU– an eminent member of Common Concern, in his impressive and commanding way
struck a high intellectual note explaining how the policy of Reservation in
services has to be understood in terms of basic principles of Representation
and Nation Building in India. Dr Amar Singh, IAS retired and former CMD of Food Corporation of India
narrated his unique personal experiences-like The Bhopal Declaration- in his
long and distinguished career. He exhorted the achievers to be brave and
competent in the performance of their duties without any fear or favor. The successful
CSE-2013 candidates were presented a Memento and a copy of Baba Sahib Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar's Writing and Speeches, Volume 1. Shri Ravi Kumar of Common Concern
put immense efforts in organising the programme.
Mr. Vinay Paul, IRS and former Director, Dr. Ambedkar
Foundation, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment conducted the programme
with immense dignity and aplomb.
Rajinder Kashyap,
Indian Postal Service,
New Delhi.
********
My welcome address delved upon the following thoughts;
Welcome Address
Dignitaries
on the dais, Respected Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good afternoon to all of you,
As Mr. Vinay Paul has
stated, Common Concern is a gathering of people who have voluntarily come
together as an idea generating Group on the issues concerning Community. It is
a non-regimental group where hierarchy is not defined and people come in it
leaving aside their status and ego. It has been operating for last 10 years and
has impressive accomplishments under its belt.
I, on behalf on Common
Concern, welcome Dr. Amar Singh, Ambassador Bal Anand, Mr. Davinder Chaudhary, Mr.
Anand S Krishna, Prof. Vivek Kumar, Mr. P.C. Das, Mr. Satish Chandra, Mr. Vinay
Paul as Hon’ble dignitaries on the dais. Dr. Amar Singh, Prof. Vivek Kumar and
Mr. Anand S. Krishna are the moving force behind the Common Concern. I thank
them for their intense involvement.
Today’s programme is to honour the young men
and women of community who have become successful in the Civil Services
Examination -2013 and would shortly be holding responsible positions in various
Departments of the Government. On behalf of Common Concern, I welcome all of
you in this august programme.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar says, “Ours is not a fight
for wealth and power, ours is a fight for reclamation of human personality.”
Why he says so? He says so because for last many millenniums, our people have
been treated as inhuman and deprived of the basic human rights. The picture
even today is very discouraging, dismal and gloomy. In his book “Annihilation of Caste” he further says
that to attain a rightful place in society education, wealth and self defense
are very important requirements for a human being.
Friends, your success put
more responsibility on you as you would be representing community where dropout
rate in 10th Standard is almost 80% which further moves up once one
reaches in the 12th Standard. The challenges before you would be
stiff particularly in a social milieu where education is knowledge less system,
health care system has almost collapsed, government jobs are fast vanishing,
reluctance of private enterprise to integrate our people, disinterested
government machinery to control and check atrocities across the country on
hapless people. You may like to handle such situation by putting yourself in
the place of those victims and have-nots and if you are able to imbibe such
qualities your decisions would never be wrong. Buddha
in Dhammpad 320 says, “As an elephant in the battlefield withstands arrows shot
from bows all around, even so shall I endure abuse. There are many, indeed in
this world, who lack virtue.” If you
truly have concern for community, you may have to imbibe such qualities in you.
If we are able to succeed in this endevour, we would be moving fast in making
Prabudha Bharat – A Bharat based on the tenants of Liberty, Equality,
Fraternity, Justice and Dhamma - A Dhamma which attaches paramount importance
to human dignity. This task is arduous but not impossible; Phooley and Royal
Revolutionary Chhatrapati Sahhu could make it possible in his life time despite
stiff resistance from Gokhales, Tilaks, Savarkars, Chapekars, Vijapurkars and
Dr. Ambedkar accomplished it through his tireless struggle for all of us.
Friends, you would be the
representatives of community in the administrative set up of the country and the
community people will look up to you for guidance and help, do not fail them in
their rightful expectations. Your success is a happy moment for all of us and
our community, therefore, the Common Concern decided to celebrate it in a befitting
manner.
Buddha says that one
should always remain grateful to one’s parents as they are the source of one’s
existence and are instrumental in providing conducive environment, support and
assistance to one to grow up in life. Therefore, we requested all the
successful candidates to bring their parents, family members, friends and
relatives along with them. I, on behalf of Common Concern, welcome the parents
of successful candidates, their relatives, friends and all others who have come
along with them in this programme.
Dear Parents, your
contribution is immense in bringing them to this level and I thank you for your
utmost efforts. Buddha in Dhampad 322 says, “Excellent are well-trained mules, thoroughbred Sindhu
horses and noble tusker elephants. But better still is the man who has well trained
himself through right education.”
Therefore, always keep a watch on your children so that they remain always well
directed and contributes towards the development of community.
I welcome
eminent officers of various services, social activists, members of media, and
members of common concern for their noble presence here. I also welcome all
those friends and colleagues who have assisted us in organizing this programme
and had taken great pains in communicating and connecting with the candidates
and their families in Delhi and NCR.
Once
again I welcome you all.
‘BHAVTU SAV MANGALAM’
‘LET ALL BEING BE HAPPY’
Jai Bheem…….Jai Bharat
