Supreme Court Judge Mohan Shantanagoudar has urged students to make efforts to convert hurdles into bridges and make use of them to reach their goals. Inaugurating the centenary celebrations of Karnatak College in Dharwad, of which he is an alumnus, Mr. Shantanagoudar said that the three “Hs” — hard work, honesty and humanity, were needed for a successful career.
“Success achieved through an easy path or short-cuts will only be short-lived. Only hard work and perseverance makes the success last long. At a time when India is making strides in various sectors, it is up to the youth to perform their duties towards society and the nation,” he said.
Expressing regret over youth running after money, Mr. Shantanagoudar said that choosing the right path was the key to success and not money. “With name and fame, awards and money will come. Hence, those who walk that extra mile will always have a glittering career,” he said. Mr. Shantangoudar, who studied in Karnatak College from 1972 to 1977, went down memory lane recalling that as the college had eminent teachers, getting admission itself was an issue of prestige.
He said that rural students often developed inferiority complex when they joined colleges in urban and semi urban areas and asked them not to get bogged down by poverty and language issues. “If you strive enough, you can outclass those from the English-medium,” he told them.
Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation Kiran Kumar emphasised the need for an educational ecosystem that would bring out the best minds. Referring to the trend of students going to foreign nations for higher studies, Mr. Kiran Kumar stressed the need to raise the educational standards and steps to retain the best brains for the country.
He said that in the coming days, food, energy and infrastructure would be the key areas to focus and technology should be used to solve the problems of a developing nation. Minister for Higher Education Basavaraj Rayareddi, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj H.K. Patil, MLA Arvind Bellad, MLC S.V. Sankanur, Vice-Chancellor of Karnatak University Pramod Gai, Vice-Chancellor of Central University, Kalaburagi Maheshwaraiah, veteran journalist Patil Puttappa, poet Channaveera Kanavi and several distinguished alumni of the college were present.
