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Speeches of Alagappa Chettiar |
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WELCOME SPEECH OF
- - - - - - It has been the will of Providence that I should add one more institution to those already on this Campus This time it is a College of Physical Education. It was my cherished desire to start it for a long time, but naturally and for many obvious reasons, the other Colleges had to take precedence. Time was when many looked askance at Athletics, Sports and Physical Education. The athlete, sportsman, the wrestler and the mile-runner were held in no regard by the academic bookworm Who set his nose to the grindstone of University prizes, medals and grindstone I must confess, I was one of those that gave the go-by to sports. But I am in ~ illustrious, company of eminent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi. But there were some amongst us even then that patronized on the sly sports and athletics. Our fathers too, who, on the whole, inspire of Alexander Pope, must be considered wiser than we, would not countenance entrance into and distinction in the sports field. The whirling of time has brought about a salutary change. Now Sports and Physical Education have not only assumed a national but international importance. To my mind it seems that such activities are a sure means of hastening the fulfilment of the concept of one world - the ardent desire of most of our leaders especially of Panditji Sports will level distinctions and bring about good feeling and a sense of brotherhood. Plato wished for a philosopher to be the King of his Utopia. May I modify it by saying that a Sportsman should lead a nation, I daresay time will be when this happy state of things would be ushered in. I need not stress the importance of physical education any further. Mahatma Gandhi says in his autobiography "Today I know that physical training should have as much place in the curriculum as mental training". We have heard of the Englishmen's pride that the battle of Waterloo was won on the playfields of Eton. Swami Vivekananda said that religion could be best propagated by able bodied hen. And there is the Upanishad saying that the reaisation of the Atman could be achieved not by those weak in body but by those physically strong. Patriotism is not enough. We want love of humanity if we wish peace in this world, which is so sorely distracted today. The 'Olympics' is a step in the right direction. And if India which preaches the gospel of Pameh Sheela or Co-Existence is to lead the West. I have no doubt that colleges of physical Education will have to play a great part. The Y.M.C.A. College of Physical Education has been doing excellent work. But one swallow cannot make a summer, If athletics should develop towards the direction I have envisaged~ we want quite a number of such institutions. Happily the Government of the States and the Central Government have begun to see the need for them and are giving proper aid to their being started. May I hope that when the allocation of funds for this purpose is made, this College, which is being inaugurated by His Highness, will get a preferential share by the Central Government? That is my defence for bringing into being this College. I am happy that is to be inaugurated by Your Highness, an illustrious scion of an illustrious family of Rulers of one of the most enlightened States in Bharat. Your Highness has won our regard and affection in many ways. Only recently we had the rare honour of enjoying the literary and philosophical treat you gave to Madras. I refer to the superb lectures on Aesthetics. We are all happy that a scholar, and Prince by birth, a distinguished University man and a practical philosopher is now associating himself with the Baptism, shall I say, of this infant? Under such benign auspices I am sure, the College will flourish and earn an honorable place in the educational map of our country. Let me strike a very personal note. It is God's will that I should be confined to bed and incapacitated from being present in the pandal which is being hallow ed by the presence of His Highness. It is my prayer irrespective of what may happen to me, that this College of Physical Education which is being inaugurated by Your Highness and the other institutions on this campus inaugurated by the eminent leaders and great savants would soon together form a full fledged University and fulfil The hope expressed by our revered Rashtrapathi in his speech on November 15, when he graciously declared open the Alagappa Polytechnic. Need I say that consummation will like wise be the realisation of my fond hopes and Your Highness' inauguration of this College is a certain augury of the University to come in the very near future. Let me end with a silent prayer to the Almighty that shapes our ends may help my dream come true.
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