THE LECTURE WAS DELIVERED AT MILAN MELA, PARK CIRCUS MAIDAN ON 15TH FEBRUARY 2022

 

MY LIFE AND MY ACHIEVEMENTS

Respected Janab Nadimul Haque Sb, Member of Parliament, Janab Istiaque Raju Sb, Janab Mukhtar Ali Sb and other dignitaries present on the dais and off the dais, dear students, I am honored to be here today and share with you about my life and achievements with hope to encourage you all to dream big, walk with courage, work hard, adopt perseverance and BE SMART. Remember these five set of words just now I said: (a) dream big; (b) walk with courage; (c) work hard; (d) adopt perseverance; and (e) be SMART.

 

I will soon explain all these five words contribution in my life and will act as magic in your life too.

 

So much inequality do exists in our society in its varied forms, that access to basic need is a challenge for many of us. But will those challenges deter us achieving our goal? Even in such challenging situation, can one able to change one’s own life? Can we have better world where everyone will be equal? Can the capability which bestowed upon us will help in making life better not only of one self but of all?

 

I am reminded with what Mohd. Iqbal, the great Urdu poet said,

KHUDI KO KAR BULAD ITNA KE HAR TAKDIR SE PEHLE
KHODA BANDE SE KHUD PUCHE BATA TERI RAJA KYA HAI
(You make yourself so high even before your luck that God himself will ask you what your wish is)

 

All my previous questions answers are YES, YES and YES. We can change our own luck with our own deed and by following those five words!

 

Let me share some insight from my life.

 

Like many of you who do not get opportunity to study in the best schools of Kolkata, I too studied in Monu Memorial Institution Topsia and thereafter at Calcutta Madrasah, which is an Urdu Medium Government School at Taltala. We six brothers and sister, my parent and grandmother all were living in the tiled shed room of around 100 square feet at Topsia and in my adolescent age we got another tenanted room. Despite all challenges my father ensured that all of us get education. My father was a hawker and that time having hawker stall at esplanade. During those days from my Class VI to Class X, I have to go to my father hawker stall to support him. I had a bicycle by which every day I had to cycle from residence to School and then from School to Esplanade. Every day I worked with my father, used to sell Sarees there on the footpath of Esplanade, and in the night around 10 to 11 we together returned to residence at Topsia. My father also had a Cycle. Within couple of years my younger brother also joined us and also did the same thing. Whenever I used to upset with our condition, or on comparing ourselves from others who have resources, my father used to reply just look on the other people who are worse than you, who do not have money to have two time meal, whose children works in factory or Hotel to feed himself as well as parents. It will give you some satisfaction. I always remember those words of my father and reiterate the same whenever anyone complained about their conditions.

My father is rare example of hardworking, dedicated, Muslims from humble background of Kolkata who while facing all challenges makes children educated. Despite all ordeals my father never stops us from studying. In fact, he is the source for education for all of us. I am happy to share my two youngest sisters are Doctors while my youngest brother is practicing lawyer in Kolkata. May Allah make every parents of the community like my father, the face of community will automatically changed.  

 

Even with all these difficulties I continued my study. Passed Madhyamik Examination in the year 1988. Similarly I did Higher Secondary from Umesh Chandra College in the year 1990. My father purchased one small shop at Topsia and started Building Materials business there. It brings some fortune for us. But his business becomes victim of Local Goondas belong to ruling party. Our shop was looted. My father and younger brother got injury. This entire episode of loot and Goondagardi encountered us with police and court system.

 

I had to support my family. I started working as Agent of Peerless, LIC and then luckily got opportunity to work at United Bank of India as Commission Agent just before my Higher Secondary. There was a break in my study. I had to support my father, my family along with working as commission agent of United Bank, Topsia Branch. My agency at Bank gave me financial assistance to continue my study. I joined South Calcutta Law College and completed LL.B in the years 1998 and result got published in February, 1999. I got arranged marriage around same time.

 

I practiced for around two years and had been selected for admission at National Level Entrance Test of West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences. The study at NUJS gave a new meaning to my life. Many new avenues opened for me.

 

I may remind here that once Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn’t have it in the beginning’.

 

Sir C. V. Raman said in 1969 while addressing young graduate, ‘I would like to tell the young men and women before me not to lose hope and courage. Success can only come to you by courageous devotion to the task lying in front of you…..if that indomitable spirit were to arise, nothing can hold us from achieving our rightful destiny’.

 

My Professor at NUJS, Prof. D. Banerjea always reminded us that for all successful life, whether in professional career, administrative career, academic career or otherwise we need three ‘C’ – Character – Commitment – Competence. I had courage and determination, the Almighty Allah (SAT) made me what I am today.

 

Dr. A. P.J Abul Kalam said, to quote; ‘what is life but a mixture of unsolved problems, ambiguous victories, and amorphous defeats? The trouble is that we often merely analyse life instead of dealing with it. People dissect their failures for causes and effects, but seldom deal with them and gain experience to master them and thereby avoid their recurrence. This is my belief: that through difficulties and problems God gives us the opportunity to grow. So when you hopes and dreams and goal are dashed, search among the wreckage, you may find a golden opportunity hidden in the ruins’.

 

About the aforesaid phenomenon, I have used the words “walk with courage”. I will also use the word “Grab the opportunity” as it comes.

Let me explain from my life:

 

1.     After devastating loot and torture at our shop at Topsia, there were case and counter case. We have to go to court regularly. This encounter with legal systems had encouraged me to study law. Though, this episode had many adverse impact it our life but when I see those incident now it look like Allah provide me guidance to choose my career and made me capable of helping others.

 

2.     In the year 2000, I was practicing at Alipore Court. My income was quite reasonable in comparison to other junior lawyer of my age. My wife was pregnant and soon we were expecting our first child. I appeared for 1^st NUJS entrance, a new University just established. I got selected. It was a full time residential program. Every student has to stay at Hostel. Two challenged I had. One suddenly stoppage of income at such crucial time when we are expecting our first baby. Staying at hostel leaving my family. I did not want to loose the opportunity. Joined LLM and successfully completed. It was really a difficult decision. Had I not joined that course, I would have not reached where I am today.

 

3.     When I almost completed my LL.M, impliedly I have completed my dissertation and went to our Vice-Chancellor N. R. Madhava Menon (Padma Shree and Padma Bhusan Awardee) to show him first draft. He used to call me as Mr. Khan.  He asked me after seeing my first draft. “Yes Mr. Khan, What you want to do next”. I said, “sir not decided”. He replied, “would you like to join NUJS”. After hearing this I was almost shaking. Never imagine to get such offer. It was difficult to open mount in front of person of such strata. I only said will shaking lips “it will be my privilege sir”. I came back to our sitting place. I receive appointment letter as “Research Assistant” with half an hour. More difficult decision sweeter fruits.    

 

4.     I was teaching with contractual appointment since November 2002. In the 2004 August, I got permanent appointment at NUJS as Lecturer with UGC scale. Same time I receive scholarship to study at University of Essex. Going to Essex impliedly means not joining your job. Few of teachers whom I contacted told me join job as I may get another scholarship in future. I decided to go abroad without caring about job. The University was kind enough to allow me to join after one year. It was also very difficult decision but Allah (SAT) is only our Rajjaq. Let grab the opportunity.  

 

5.     One recent example of difficult decision was to repatriate back to NUJS. The executive council of NUJS directed me to repatriated back within 7 days. On one side I have an option to stay on the lucrative post of Professor and Director Symbiosis Law School Hyderabad on the other hand I have an opportunity to come back to my own city, to live with my parents and all family members. On  one hand, our own aspirations for name and honour forces us to reach at higher pedestals of success while on the other hand, your family wants you to come back to the city where they live, with your parents and siblings. I took the decision to come back and stay with my parent and fulfill the desire of my family. Unless you get peace in your life and make your family members happy, your life remain unsuccessful no matter which higher rank or post you have attained. Naturally, I was upset with the decision of NUJS. Had no idea how come such regressive decision can be taken by Public University. But Almighty Allah had foreseen challenges in my family. My younger brother diagnosed with cancer. At least in the last few months, I was with him. Had I been in Hyderabad, I would have not able to spend time during last days of my younger brother. I have no regret for coming back now.

What the point in saying these five examples of difficult decisions?

(a)   Take difficult decision in life and walk with courage.

(b)  Whenever opportunity comes, do grab it. Many occasions we miss opportunity.

(c)   Allah (SAT) always has some greater plan for us. Never upset with His decision. Some new opportunity is hidden, even if there is misery.

 

Let me share two examples OF PERSEVERANCE from life.

1.     When I was in Class IX, I went to British Council pavilion during book fair once to enquire about the process to study law at United Kingdom. Those days book fair used to be in Esplanade. My mother used to tell some story in my childhood where invariably Barristers, Judges were characters. She also never thought that her son will become lawyer one day and then faculty of one of the best law Universities of India. It was uncommon for Urdu Medium School student to visit British Council to enquire about studying at United Kingdom at that age. More so for me knowingly that my father resources will never be sufficient to send me U.K. My father was merely a hawker and I used to assist him every day from evening 4 to 10 in the night and during school holidays whole day. The fortune turns on me. I had been awarded British Cheveing Scholarship, which is one of the world most reputed scholarship, to Study LL.M at University of Essex, United Kingdom in the year 2004. The dream which I have seen in class IX got realized in the year 2004.

 

2.     I always wanted to do PhD from abroad. I got admission in many Universities but was unsuccessful to secure scholarship. I completed first LL.M in 2003 and 2^nd LL.M in 2005. In fact, in the year 2011, I was recommended for Commonwealth Scholarship from India but later on rejected at final round in UK. At last, in the 2012, I got scholarship from City University of Hong Kong Scholarship funded by UGC Hong Kong for PhD and ultimately completed PhD from one of the top University. It rank within 50 Top Universities of world.  

 

If anyone consistently following own dream, one day opportunity will come for sure. Even while doing PhD, I applied for research fellowship at Michigan Law School USA to work under Prof. Catherine MacKinnon, world legendary Feminist and fortunate enough to receive fellowship with funding.

 

Thus, follow your dream with perseverance. You will get it today or tomorrow.

John Maxwell once said “Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.” The last word which I am going to explain is SMART. I want you all to be SMART. I know you all are smart, intelligent, and good students for a fact that you came here, you are hearing us and learning from our mistakes and success. But what I meant from SMART here is established Management Goal Setting Theory, explained by G. T. Doran, it consists of five alphabets SMART and for you, this is the last golden key to unlock your success. These 5 pointers will help you develop a smart goal. Let us see what SMART stands for-

The First alphabet ‘S’ stands for Specific. Your goal must be specific which ideally means that it should be simple, sensible, significant. Make sure that you are extremely specific with your goal. Do not dream of a thousand goal. Just aim a bullseye.

 

The second alphabet ‘M’ stand for Measurable. It might be difficult to always measure your goal but there must be some meaningful or motivating measurable objects that you design to measure accessibility to your goal. Make sure you can track the progress of your goals.

 

The third alphabet is ‘A’ stand for Achievable. This implies that try to have a goal which stretches your ability but remains possible

 

The fourth alphabet is ‘R’ stand for Relevant. This implies it should be reasonable, realistic, resourced and results-based. Make sure your plan drives you forward and keeps you authentic. That is to say, your goal must be realistic.

 

The last alphabet T stand for Time-bound. This implies time-based, time-limited, time/cost limited, timely and/or time-sensitive. Fix some deadlines to reach it, do not procrastinate.

 

I have shared with you the story of life, the struggle which million of underprivileged youth of this Country faced. No one, however poor, deprived, underprivileged or small need feel disheartened about their life. I firmly believed that sheer determination, dedication and hard work will lead to one’s life accomplish all that he/she dreamt. The five words (a) dream big; (b) walk with courage; (c) work hard; (d) adopt perseverance; and (e) be SMART, impliedly fixing your goal reasonably, will definitely make you successful, wherever you want to be. Resources can never be a constrained for your achievement.

 

May Allah (SAT), accomplish the life of all of us.

 

I am again express my gratitude to West Bengal Minorities Development Corporation for felicitating me and giving this opportunity.

Thank you all very much.

 It is with immense pleasure, I would like to inform my connections that our book titled "Uniform Civil Code - A Never-Ending Dilemma in India" is published Thomson Reuters. The book was a culmination of the efforts put in by myself, my Co-editor Mr. Ahmar Afaq, and all the authors who have contributed their research work in the book.

The conference on Uniform Civil Code was conducted back in January, 2020 by Centre for Human Rights, Symbiosis Law School Hyderabad during my tenure as Director and we were working on it since then. My gratitude to @Thomson Reuters and all the authors, Prof. (Dr.) Shiju Mazhuvanchery , Dr. Kusum, Dr. Alok Kumar, Prof. (Dr.) Furqan Ahmed, Prof. (Dr.) Aftab Alam, Prof. (Dr.) Nuzhat Parveen Khan , Dr. B Muthu Kumar, Dr. Bhaswati Chatterjee, Adv. Prashanth Padmanathan, Smt. Aravinda, Hamza Khan, Afshaan Shiren, VB Malleshwari, Raghav Pandey, Arushi, Debashree Debnath, who made this possible. Extremely grateful to the students associated with Centre for Human Rights, especially the liason officer to the editors @Rupal Chhaya.

The book is available on Amazon and has dealt at length with the topic of Uniform Civil Code. It provides a perspective of the concept and its pros and cons demystifying many myths.

https://www.amazon.in/Uniform-Civil-Code-Never-Ending-Dilemma/dp/9390673941/ref=sr_1_16?dchild=1&keywords=Book+Uniform+Civil+Code&qid=1629651438&s=books&sr=1-16

 Prof. (Dr.) Sarfaraz Ahmed Khan

Farewell address given to students on 18^th March, 2021 at Symbiosis Law School Hyderabad

 

Dear Students!

Today is the last working day for me as the Director of Symbiosis Law School Hyderabad (SLS-H). My original tenure was supposed to get over on 21^st April, 2021 but due to compelling circumstances arising out of the decision of the Executive Council of the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS) directing me to repatriate back within a period of seven days’ time; I have no other choice but to return to my parent institution WBNUJS. This decision might comes as surprise to you all – but believe me it was as surprising,  shocking and difficult for me as well to take this decision.

In many occasions of our life we need to take some difficult decision, such as one which I took to repatriate back. On one side I have an option to stay on the lucrative post of Professor and Director SLS-H on the other hand I have an opportunity to go back to my own city, to live with my parents and all family members. On  one hand, our own aspirations for name and honour forces us to reach at higher pedestals of success while on the other hand, your family wants you to come back to the city where they live. On one hand, you have a lavish life at new city while on the other hand your parent want you to stay with them, specifically during the last few years of their lives.

I took the decision to go back and stay with my parent and fulfill the desire of my family. Unless you get peace in your life and make your family members happy, your life remain unsuccessful no matter which higher rank or post you have attained. Moreover, your society where you grow up has some expectations from you. Hence, I have decided to go back to my city, to live with my parent, give some happiness to family and make myself available to my society and community. 

Let me share a story with you all.

One boy was born in a poor family, who passes his childhood and adolescent age in one room tile shed house (12X10 Sq. ft) where 9 family members including,  6 brothers and sisters, both parent and maternal grandmother used to stay together. His father was a hawker and used to sell sarees at the footpath of Esplanade, Kolkata. He was lucky that despite all these hardships he was sent to government school, as many such children are deprived of education, in Modern India. He, almost every day, after his school hours, used to help his father in hawkering.  His childhood had never given him opportunity to enjoy by playing with other children. Being the eldest son, he was discharging his responsibility to assist family. But he had  a dream. Dream to be educated, become successful. In fact, in Kolkata Book fair which used to get organised in esplanade, little away from the place where he was hawkering, he once enquired in the British Council Stall about how to go England for study. This was the audacity of day dreaming for such boy who was hawkering at esplanade but day dreaming about studying in England. He left his study after Class XII to support his family financially. He worked in many organization like Agenct of LIC, Agenct of Peerless and Commission Agent of United Bank of India, Topsia Branch for collecting money from different customers under Mini Deposit Scheme. These works gave him financial support to restart his studies as well as support family. He completed his LL.B from Calcutta University, LL.M and M.Phil from WBNUJS. The Almighty Allah was kind enough to fulfill his dream of studying in England by providing British Chevening Scholarship to complete his 2^nd LL.M from University of Essex. This is the life story, though in short, of no one else but your director.

Why am I telling all this to you? It is only because you all belong to very small percentage of family who are privilege and has not seen hardship. Your parent ensures best education available to you. When I with all the hardships could achieve and become what I am today, I firmly believe that you all will also be as successful in your life, as you desire. Few of you might become Judges of the High Court and even Supreme Court. Few of you will surely reach to higher pedestal of success in legal profession and become Advocate General, Attorney General, Solicitor General among others. Some of you might choose to be in academics and become Vice-Chancellor while few others will be entrepreneurs.  Each one of you will definitely be successful in your career – you and your parent must be consistently waiting for such time.

In next few months few of you will be graduated and start experiencing the challenging though fascinating world of legal profession. Remember, every challenge make us stronger and bring the best in us. As it is the last day for me, I do wish to share my experience at SLS-H and few lessons from it for all of you.

1.    1. HAVE FAITH ON YOUR TEACHER: – I have seen and heard from colleagues, the kind of undesirable communication they face for small fraction of marks from students, in continuous evaluation. As a teacher we never see you as our adversary. It is our ardent duty to distinguish among students by grading them according to their performance in examination. Once you get passout from college, 5-10 years down the line, all these argument for 0.5 mark or 1 mark will remain just a number. It is your hard work which ultimately helps you in reaching higher pedestal of success. Having said that, as a student you have a right to know where you have committed mistake so that you can improve your work in subsequent assignment.

 2.     HAVE FAITH IN YOUR DIRECTOR AND ADMINISTRATION AND AVOID BECOMING EMAIL WARRIER: – One most disturbing trend I have seen at SLS-H is that the students and their parents write copy-pasted email to all authorities. It does not give any different resolution. The same resolution could have been achieved at institute level. Try to solve your issues at institute level before approaching any higher authorities. The seniors had given excellent training to their juniors, even 1^st year junior, to write copy-pasted email to authorities.  Believe me, it does not help rather it creates unnecessary disturbances in the mind of college administration.

 3.     PEACE NECESSARY FOR PROGRESS: – On many occasions we have to devote innumerable hours in resolving unnecessary things – like acts of email warrior. These hours could be used for planning some more progressive work at campus. Remember, in last two years we have tried our best to have as many programs as possible to develop the skills of the students. This can become possible only when college administrative is free from unnecessary or avoidable disturbances. Please try your best not to become unreasonable and support the administration in smooth running of the institution.

 

 4.     SLS-H SHALL REMAIN MOST VIBRANT CAMPUS: – With more than 28 cells and centres and continuous programs by each cell and centre, SLSH have been made a most happening campus in India. Pandemic halted such pace to some extent, but with the cooperation of students we are still organizing number of programs at SLS-H parallel of  which cannot be found  in any other institution in India. Let we all strive further to strengthen it and have at least one program by each cell and centre every month. It will make our campus most happening and vibrant.

 5.     OUR TALENT OUR ASSET: – SLS-H is lucky to have most talented students coming from almost every corner of the country. This is our great strength. I remember, when I discussed with Dr. Priyanka about organizing a Value Added Course on Dance, it was shocking for many. We did similar course for photography. Our sports team too organized few similar programs. I too had many plans in mind, few we able to execute while few still a dream. Let us strive to do as much programs as possible and bring out the best from our student in any field where their interest lies and they have expertise. Let our student not only become topper in academics but they should also leave their marks in all skills such as mooting, debating, sports, dance, singing, photography among others. In last one month, I have seen two of our teams consisting of second year students bringing laurels for the institutions in mooting and that is the most pleasing experience for me and I can visualize great future of our students.

On a lighter note, the restriction on campus due to pandemic, in your last few months of stay at SLS-H, will force few of you to abandon few unhealthy practices. It is challenging but an opportunity to march towards healthy living. You all are the future of SLS-H and I don’t have even an iota of doubt that you all will be having great successful life. Wish you best of luck. Feel free to contact me in future whenever you consider me worth contacting for any issue. I will be in NUJS and hope to see few of you in Kolkata or at NUJS.

Best of luck to all of you!

 

PROF. (DR.) SARFARAZ AHMED KHAN

WELCOME ADDRESS DELIVERED DURING VALEDICTORY SESSION OF THE WEEK LONG INDUCTION PROGRAMME FOR BA LLB AND BBA LLB STUDENT AT SYMBIOSIS LAW SCHOOL HYDERABAD ON 3^RD OCTOBER 2020.

Hon’ble Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan, Respected Prof. (Dr.) Srikrishna Deva Rao, Respected Mr Sri Jayesh Ranjan, Prof. Rick Glofcheski, Respected Mr Vikramjit Banerjee, Respected Mr Santhosh Janakiram, , my colleagues  from faculty and administration, all parents and guardians and all my dear students, a very warm Good Morning to all of you.

It is indeed a great Honour and Privilege to have Hon’ble Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan, Chief Justice of Telangana High Court. Sir your presence is a blessing for our new students and your guidance will be a treasure for them to preserve throughout their life. We are grateful to you for accepting our invitation to be Chief Guest in the Valedictory function of the Induction Programme. I welcome you , sir.  

I would also like to welcome Prof. (Dr.) Srikrishna Deva Rao, Vice-Chancellor NLU Delhi. May your presence today educate my new batch of young students that law should be studied beyond books and should be practised for a greater purpose. I welcome you, sir.

I would like to welcome Mr Sri Jayesh Ranjan, IAS Principal Secretary to Government of India. Dear sir may your presence today instil in this young students the truest form of administrative skills and the disciple imbibed in it. I welcome you, Sir.

I now would like to welcome Prof. Rick Glofcheski, University of Hong Kong. Your presence today again reminds me that COVID has brought people so closer to each other, may your presence today help this new batch understand the international spectrum and scope of the law. I welcome you, sir.

I welcome Mr. Vikramjit Banerjee, Additional Solicitor General of India. May your presence today enlighten my student about the true sense of a court and the happiness of fighting for the underprivileged. I welcome you, Sir.

I now would like to welcome sir, Mr Santhosh Janakiram, Senior Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas. May your presence today enlighten my students about the most lucrative and challenging arena of the field. May your story enlighten them about the real pros and cons of being a corporate lawyer. I welcome you, sir.

I also welcome my colleagues, all our faculty members and administrative staff present today.

Dear Students, the most famous line I see nowadays treading on the internet is from the Netflix series “Dark” I have not watched it but I am sure you all have, the line reads as follows “The end is the beginning and the beginning is the end”. Dear Students, today you have reached the end of your induction week, but you are about to begin your classes next week and within a span of five years, you will graduate. The cycle of end and beginning continues. Dear student, today I want to tell you again “Congratulation for getting selected for SLS-H and becoming part of Symbiosis Family.”

How many of you remember the golden key of goal setting that I gave you in your first day of the induction week. Can I see a quick raise of hands?

Great, thank you so much for your attention. Today I will give you one more important key- I call it the silver key of Success. Success is a word that is subjected to various interpretations. When we talk about 5 years of your life here, let me tell you that apart from your regular studying you must do a lot of extracurricular and become an all-rounder and along with that I want all of you to follow a path of self-actualization. I want you to learn self-love, inculcate self-confidence, improve your self-belief, take some time out and understand your self-worth, realize that you have self-esteem read with self-dignity and that you are made for more. Each one of you has the potential to excel. By the end of the five years when I will be delivering you your farewell speech, I want to see that all of you have reached the epitome of self- realization. Let me tell you, dear students, once you do what I have asked you today you unlock the key of success and find your true potential and desire and I know that wherever you go and whatever you do, you will achieve success.

Today, dear students I want to give you a reality check. They say, “Success and Failure are different side of one coin called life”. If you utilize my golden key of goal setting you will reach success but, in the process, you will encounter this personality known as Failure. When you meet failure tell him/ her a hello and thank him/her for coming to your life. Dear students, it is important that you understand the concept of failing because it is part and parcel of success and if you can learn from your failures and remember them half your job is done. All of you know Thomas Edison, he had more than 1,000 U.S. patents to his name.  However, as a young boy in school, his mind often wandered, and his teachers told him that he was “too stupid to learn anything”.  He was eventually home-schooled by his mother. However, after his invention, he said “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” You can make mistake, but what you are not allowed to do is forget the mistake you have made and the lessons you have learned. There is always this concept of more successful and less successful and it is on you to decide what kind of success you want in your life. However, I promise that if you listen to what I say you will be amongst the more successful people.

I also tell you that you enter this world in times when the most pronounced words are COVID, Quarantine, Lockdown and I know you feel that you are losing a lot. However, I want to assure you as Sundar Pichai says “ You will Prevail” as there was the batch of 1920 which graduated at the end of a deadly pandemic the Spanish flu and several other batches in different difficult circumstances they all prevailed. Remember you will prevail because God is putting you through hot fire to make you the best steel. I belief, you will make us feel proud.

Before I leave and end my speech, I am aware that this being a law school and a fresher orientation of law students, I have not spoken anything about the subject. I also don’t intend to because I know for the next 5 years you will be only learning that, but being the director of this esteemed institution I want to take this opportunity to give you one of your first law lesson, never forget this lesson irrespective of whatever career path you choose. Look at this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX5aRzXUzJo-

I hope my message is loud and clear. Being a lawyer is a noble profession. In law, it is not what you tell the judge, once you enter the learning experience you will understand there are many laws and further there are many exceptions to those laws. Thus, if you want to protect your client the way you present your case and the words that you use in communicating the facts and issues to the judge is particularly important.

Thank you, have a wonderful 5 years journey.