Special role of Christians in academic excellence, says President Kovind

Stressing on the role of society and private and public institutions in nation-building, Kovind said, “Here I must note that the Christian community, whose history in India goes back 2,000 years and which has contributed so much to our shared culture, has carved a special role for itself in education"

Ram Nath Kovind said the Jesus and Mary College has contributed enormously to the cause of education, and for five decades, it has taught and prepared young women to break the glass ceiling, to achieve their potential, contribute to society and to the economy. (Express Photo By Amit Mehra)

President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday said that the history of Christianity goes back 2,000 years in India, and that the Christian community has carved out a “special role for itself in education”. Speaking at the inaugural function of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Jesus and Mary College in Delhi, Kovind said that missionary institutions have become symbols of scholarship and academic excellence.

Stressing on the role of society and private and public institutions in nation-building, Kovind said, “Here I must note that the Christian community, whose history in India goes back 2,000 years and which has contributed so much to our shared culture, has carved a special role for itself in education. Missionary institutions such as this one have become symbols of scholarship, dedicated teaching and academic excellence.”

He said all religions in their essence urge people to constantly learn and evolve and grow, to acquire knowledge and gain wisdom. To drive home his point, the President quoted the Gospel: “In the Gospel, According to John, chapter eight, verse 12, Jesus is quoted as saying, ‘I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life’.”

Invoking the metaphor light as wisdom, he also quoted the Upanishads, “Asato ma sadgamaya, tamaso ma jyotirgamaya (Lead me from falseness to truth, lead me from darkness to light).” Kovind said the Jesus and Mary College has contributed enormously to the cause of education, and for five decades, it has taught and prepared young women to break the glass ceiling, to achieve their potential, contribute to society and to the economy.

He also said, “Education of girls is much more important than we realise. An educated girl contributes to the economy and at work. She also ensures that other children in her family, as well as the family she may be married into, are educated. The next generation is made responsible and educated through the education of girls.”

The President said the goal of education is not just to acquire knowledge. “It is much more critical to use the knowledge one gets from education to enhance welfare of the less-privileged among us.” “The truly educated are not those who collect degrees, but those who use those degrees and the underlying scholarship to become nation-builders,” he said.

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