Prof. (Dr.) Sarfaraz Ahmed Khan
Farewell address given to students on 18th 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 21st 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
2nd 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 1st 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!
