Republic Day

We joined rest of the IIT Kharagpur community in celebration of Republic Day function. The flag-hoisting ceremony was held at Bidhan Chowk, in front of main building. Prof. N. R. Mandal, Director (Actg.), IIT Kharagpur unfurled the National Flag and inspected the parade. In his Republic Day speech he asked for introspection on direction we had set for ourselves after independence, what we are now and where we are going. Quoting Vivekananda he said that three things are necessary to make every man great,every nation great. 

(i) Conviction of the powers of goodness 
(ii) Absence of jealousy and suspicion
(iii) Helping all who are trying to be and do good

and that "No amount of politics would be of any avail until the masses in India are once more well educated, well fed, and well cared for." 

Both caution and optimism were conveyed when he quoted, "The road to the Good is the roughest and steepest in the universe. It is a wonder that so many succeed, no wonder that so many fall. Character has to be established through a thousand stumbles."

He ended the speech reminding us that it is we who can. "Be determined not to curse anything outside, not to lay the blame upon any one outside, but be a man, stand up, lay the blame on yourself. You will find, that is always true. Get hold of yourself."

The entire speech can be heard in this youtube link. It also has an audio played at the function on which school children performed a beautiful dance and a series of pictures of this ceremony.
The video can be played directly from the player given at the end of this post.

It was an honour to be a part of this function. NSS team arranged chairs, helped our guests and spectators, distributed food-packets to school children, designed colourful posters and published a newsletter which can be downloaded. Please click on

Newsletter Download Link