On a rain-washed day of 21st January, the youngest descendant of Nehru-Gandhi family visited Panipat Institute of Engineering and Technology (PIET), situated at 70-mile stone, Delhi- Panipat lane of the GT Road (NH-44).

He is a parliamentarian with a clear vision and being a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Economics from the University of London ‘talks what he knows and knows what he talks.’

Speaking on the education system of the country he said that in a nation with a 315 million student population, the students holding the top positions in the state offices are the products of private sector educational institutes, which are only 1.5% of the total schools in India, the balance being state run institutes. This data, he said, puts a big question mark on our education system, which obviously warrants a complete renovation. The education should be able to provide what an aspirant need, an upper edge in this competitive world.

He also talked about workers’ exploitation at the hands of employers, particularly in unorganised sector, and quoted example of a woman worker who took the courage to raise her voice against such discrimination and her very act helped millions in the row. His message was to be that ‘individual’ who can bring the change and not the one who waits for the change. Somewhere, someone, someday will have to take the lead for it.

He advised the youth to be practical and action oriented. He hinted that listening to patriotic songs is not patriotism, one has to act to do something for the nation. He then quoted the example of ‘Roti Bank’, which today provides 50,000 roti’s to the needy people.

The spark within you that makes you feel truly alive is the secret of success. Where do these sparks start? I think we are born with them. I see students like you, and I still see some sparks. But when I see older people, the spark is difficult to find. That means as we age, the spark fades. People whose spark has faded too much are dull, dejected, aimless and bitter.

It is more like a lamp’s flame which need to be fueled continuously and to be guarded against storms, storms of FRUSTRATION and DISAPPOINTMENT. Fuel is your goals like a certain pay package, a particular car or house. Most of us are from middle class families. To us, having material landmarks is success and rightly so. But we still find Mr. Ambani or Steve Jobs working! Because getting better in life is the next dose of fuel to keep the spark alive.

Your goals will help you do that. I must add, don’t just have career or academic goals. Set goals to give you a balanced, successful life. I use the word balanced before successful. Balanced means ensuring your health, relationships, mental peace are all in good order.

Make the race of your life like a nursery school race where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first and the marble here is health and relationships.

He added that he was truly pleased to visit PIET and found it a world class institute by looks and methods both. He told students that they should feel themselves lucky to be here because it is a campus famous for numerous landmarks.

For more info please visit our website http://www.piet.co.in/