My dear Students and Parents, We begin a new academic year 2021-2022 – We
begin it with mixed feelings. We have been looking forward to come back to the
campus and to meet our friends but we have the online inauguration. All the
same let us begin with enthusiasm and hope to do our best.
Some of us have seen our dear and near ones being affected by corona virus and
even falling victims to the onslaught of covid-19. Let us thank God for saving
us from this fearful pandemic. And we pray for His continuous protection.
We have faced the first and second waves but the third wave, as the Chief
Minister says, depends on us. Even if the third wave comes in let us face it
bravely and confidently. We shall overcome, even if the corona virus decides to
stay on with us. Let us not get discouraged but let us look for what best we
could do in the constrained and fear-filled situation.
Let us hope that we could physically return to the campus soon. When you
come back to the campus take sometime to go around and admire the campus
which has grown a lot. You would not only see a magnificent building, A-
Block, in Men’s hostel, but also you would admire the state of the art building
at LIBA. You would see many more trees planted to make the campus nature-
filled. If you notice, you would find that the parrots have invaded new territory
behind the jubilee building; and along the road leading to the LICET hostel a
new colony of mynas has come up. You could see these birds following some
understanding among the mynas and doves to use the grounds in turn – now the
cricket ground, now the football ground etc. A new beautiful world in Loyola
Campus awaits your arrival.
As you begin the new academic year, you would face difficulty to recollect
what you have learnt earlier and to walk along new avenues. But be sure that
our faculty members have been at work preparing themselves to offer you the
best in the easiest way possible. You just put your heart and soul in studies and
you would be all right. Do not think of the lockdown but start off with
yourselves locking in the studies. Many of you need to have a jump-start. Think
of St Ignatius of Loyola, who started his formal studies at the age of 30 and it
was with children of 10 to 12 years old. You are comparatively still younger
and more flexible.
Start the academic year with hope and confidence. Of course, we need to make
up for the lost time but I am sure that you would do well. I do understand what
is in your mind. You might have heard and read in the newspapers that the
companies are hesitant to employ the just passed out students labeling them as
‘corona batch’. The assumption is that they would not have studied much. But I
am sure you would do your best to overcome this difficulty when you pass out
of Loyola
At least some of you might have heard about the 7 year old professor. Soborno
Isaac Bari, born on 09 April 2012, is the youngest professor today. He is only 3’
4” tall and weighs just 13 Kg. He began to speak when he was six months old;
he could solve any question in Maths Physics and more when he was hardly two
years old; and he is known as the Youngest Einstein. The secret is: He could
easily understand the concepts he was not taught. Today, I invite you for the
same opportunity or challenge to understand your subjects even without waiting
for the faculty member teaching you. Just optimize your potential and talents
and you would be great. You can do that since, I believe, you have the required
strength and intelligence and will power. All you need is to unleash the little
lion sleeping within you – The lion of determination and achievement.
The corona lockdown should teach us to look for new direction within
ourselves. I remember the day when I took the road test to get my driving
license in Boston in 1984. As I was driving, the officer was giving me direction,
like, turn right, bear left, make U-turn etc and I meticulously followed his
directions. At one point the road was coming to join perpendicularly a main-
road but the officer did not give me any direction. When I looked ahead, I saw
the board: ‘One-Way’ with an arrow of direction. Sometimes you have to
follow your convincing insight. You are in a similar situation, the faculty
members would travel with you but at times you need to follow your insight and
impulse for the better.
Today I would share with you the following three points:
Try to make up what has been lost and at the same time look for excellence;
Put on more courage to do your best in your academic studies;
Do not ever lose track of your life-dream – At times you might take a
diversion but you should eventually catch up with the life-line.
My dear friends, the Jesuit education given to you is not your private or
personal property – it belongs to the society at large. Let us, then, do our best
for the society we come from. Right now, in our own circle or milieu, do
awareness campaign that would curtail the spread of corona wave. Let us follow
all the Standard Operating Procedures such as mask, sanitizer, washing of hands
often, keeping physical distance etc.
The Lord who called you to this world and who chose Loyola College for you
will not fail you. All He wants of you is to hold His hand and walk with him. As
St Ignatius said, God himself would teach you in your heart, as your faculty
members teach you in the class rooms and labs. All the best.