Salutation Speech @ Teacher's Day in Aizawl Theological College on the 4th September 2015.




Mr. Chairman, the Principal, faculty and my dear fellow students, I am very much delight to salute our dear teachers at this exclusive day. Definitely, it is a great joy to learn, and of course it is a blessing to have a teacher to light our academic pathway. At this moment, I believe that we all have something for salutation of our teachers. But on behalf of all the students, let me wish our faculty members a very happy Teacher’s Day with our warmest thoughts.

In India, 5th September is celebrated as Teacher’s Day across the country in honor of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Since 5th September falls on Saturday this, the Student’s Body Committee resolved to observe Teacher’s Day celebration in a day advance at this hour.

Dr. Radhakrishnan was the second President of India. He was a great scholar, educator and author. The country credits him for his tireless efforts and his immense contribution to the progress of Indian education system. In this sense, he was an inspiration to ideal teacher-hood and the pursuer of academic excellence. For him, academic excellence is not an accident or by chance, rather it is a continuous process where the desire to excel is the guiding principle.

I hope we all know the late President of India who spent his whole life in teaching and learning till his last moment, he was none other than Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Once, he said, “If a country becomes a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make differences. They are the father, the mother, and the teacher.” This brilliant oratory clearly connotes the idea that ‘teachers are the builders of the nation.’ In our context, ‘teachers are the spiritual guide and academic craftsman of the future church and of the church leaders.’

A great scientist, Albert Einstein said, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” The teacher par excellence, in this sense, is Jesus who told his followers to be salt, light, leaven and vine branches in the world that necessitates the role of teacher to awaken creative expression and knowledge for others. That is why; irrespective of religio-cultural distinctions, Jesus was recognized by different people as great teacher. Even Gandhi and Ram Mohan Roy had no hesitation to accept and address Jesus as a great teacher.

So, dear faculty members of Aizawl Theological College, we thank you for being our friend and mentor. Your help enable us to strive for our respective goals. As academic family, here itself in this close community, we found guidance, discipline, caring and love. We cherished all the moments we’ve experience with one another.

May your teaching become a source of motivation, commitment, hope, and inspiration for our action!

Thank you, and we wish you a very happy Teacher’s Day.

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