PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH
ON
THE 29th ANNUAL FRESHERS WELCOME
C. Hamyan Phom
The 8th of August (Saturday), 2009
Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen,
I give all glory and honour to God for giving me this privilege to deliver a speech on this auspicious occasion of the Naga Students' Union Pune. I reckon this day as the most significant day in our calendar because we are here today to welcome our dear freshers into our family and to celebrate the joy of oneness under the banner of the NSUP. It is also the day to ponder upon our past success and failures in our endeavours and to reaffirm ourselves to move forward in reaching our goal.
As for parents, when a new baby is born in a family, their joy knows no bound to see and hold a baby. In the same way, we are so much pleased to see all the freshers today. On behalf of the Naga family, I warmly welcome you all into our family and wish you a blessed stay here.
Today we start with best determination and this moment reminds us that we are taking a new journey to begin. I believe, in few years we will leave this place and go to different directions, as competent professionals, trained experts in various fields, ready to influence and impact our society. But, let us not spend our time here only on academic interests but we also urge you to volunteer your service within the Naga Students' Union, Naga Christian Fellowship and other Social Activities. I believe, it will also give us a sense of personal fulfilment and all round achievement that can be felt nowhere else. Let us not expect people to call you and I but let's come forward and expose our own gifts and talents and let others see your ray of light shinning in dark corners.
"God has given us this day to use as we will. What we do today is important because we are exchanging a day of our lives for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving behind something we have traded for it. We want to gain, not lose; good, not evil; success, not failure in order that we shall never forget the price we have paid for it because the future is just a whole string of now". An anonymous writer wrote, "Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. But today is a gift, and that is why it’s called the present". Let us not waste it but use it for good so that there will be no regret in the future.
As Nagas, we are willing to work for our society and we also yearn to bring unity but the question is how do we bring about harmony in our ventures? We cannot bring peace and tranquillity by mere talks unless you and I come forward and show it in action, it is impossible without your co-operation, help and support. All Nagas, undoubtedly, have many traditions, cultures, practices and beliefs but with an underlying common uniqueness of being called as Nagas. Nagas have an opportunity of being different identity from others. At the same time, we are also rich in cultural heritage. So let other people see and taste not only our rich cultures but more of our togetherness.
We are far from home having left our near and dear ones. We've come down to pursue our careers and are preparing for our future security. But the question is, are we going ahead in fulfilling our goal? Have we ever thought that our family, friends, relatives, Churches, Villagers and Society are anxiously waiting for us to come and lead them? Are we preparing ourselves? If not, friends, it's high time for us to look back and examine ourselves and live up not only to other's expectation but let's also consider the expectation of our God whose masterpiece we are. Let us try to live peacefully with everyone who are around us; our neighbours, class mates and especially the people of this beautiful city as they extend their kindness, friendship and hospitality to us.
Be aware that we are not caught up by the rules and regulations of the NSUP resulting us to negative impact on you and others as well. We need to be very careful in our way of conduct. Let's be a model in our lifestyles. The rules and regulations of the NSUP will remain the same to firmly insist on for the well-being of the students. There are many rules and regulations before us to follow but it depends on how we live with it. I, on behalf of my colleagues and the Advisors assure all of you that we will be there right beside you in any matter. In turn, we expect your kind co-operation and response in our pursuit.
I want to conclude my speech with an appeal to all the Nagas to bring forth your very best to serve people with your best ability. Life is all the time not about "receiving" but it's about "giving" and being a blessing. Therefore, I want to challenge all of us seated here today by putting one question: Which one is more important. "I want" or "I should do it"? Instead of saying "I should do it", we scream selfishly to say "I want". Paul in Romans 7: 19 says, "For I do not do the good I want, but the evil, I do not want is what I do". We all face the giant in life in many ways. None, in the world are exempted from crisis. When we look into the Bible, “to David, it was slaying a giant. To Moses, it was managing an unmanageable crowd. To Daniel, it was spending the night in a den of lions and to Paul, every missionary journey was an ocean of turbulence. So, whoever trusted in God in the past and whoever trusts the living God in the present are called to THINK BIG, to face challenges.”
Let us work and sweat for a great vision, the vision of transforming our broken society where there is no peace, truth, unity, mutual understanding and love but filled with envy, selfishness, greed, division, killing , corruption and so on. Let us join our hands together today and stand up for the betterment of our society and wipe out every evil practice and let peace and harmony rule in our lives. With a good conscience our only sure reward of our deeds, let us go forth to lead a life worthy and acceptable , asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.
Let us run towards the reaching of our Motto: "UNITE FOR GREATER HEIGHTS".
LONG LIVE NSUP!
KUKNALIM.
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