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Honourable Vice President of India, His Excellency Shri Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Honourable Governer of Gujarat, Her Excellency Smt. Dr. Kamla, Honourable Chief Minister of Gujarat- Honourable Mr. Narendra Modi, Honourable Law Minister of Gujarat Mr. Dileep Sanghani, Director of the Gujarat National Law University Dr. Bimal N. Patel, Faculty members, Students and staff of the University.
Education, we all know, is the building block of life and anything that facilitates education becomes the building block of education as well as the quality of life. This new, state of the art GNLU building is not just a building but it is a temple of education, a temple of learning. This structure is not just an assortment of brick and concrete, colour and shape, size and structure – it is a space, which is a space of learning- a space which is divine in its own light. And so, we need to respect it, love it and care for it – like we care for the land to which we owe our existence.
I believe that every learning space has to be learner friendly and learning friendly. It need not be only pleasing to look at – though I do not deny that in esthetic sense it is extremely important in life. A learning space, over and above being good looking should be mentally and emotionally inviting, it should be comfortable and it should feel secure – elements which go into building a healthy learning environment which promote intellectual debate, creative thought and innovative concepts for the betterment of the human kind. So I feel it is our duty to create healthy and learning friendly environment at this new set up. It is people who make a place and not cement and concrete. This building should not only look good, but it should feel good and act good for the betterment of legal education and, therefore, it becomes our pious duty to impart quality education to our young bright students who will be the legal luminaries of our country tomorrow.
Each educational institute, like human beings, develops a personality and identity, over a period of time. Touch wood, GNLU has already developed a personality of excellence and this temple of learning and all of us who form a part of it will have to live up to this personality of excellence. In fact, we will need to sustain it and better it, now that we have an asset of our own.
Having one’s own place, creates a sense of belonging and a feeling of pride. Today, with the inauguration ceremony, begins the first step in this direction. A sense of belonging and ownership motivates all of us to give our best in us. GNLU is on its way to become a world class school in the field of law. Its own building, for service to legal education, will make it stand tall and proud in the eyes of the world.
I offer best wishes on behalf of the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, Mr Justice S. Kapadia to all of you. As Visitor of this distinguished university, I express on behalf of the whole university gratitude to the Government of Gujarat, the Hon’ble Chief Minister Mr Narnedra Modi, the Law Department for providing generous financial capital assistance to create a world class infrastructure in this vibrant knowledge corridor of Gujarat.
I am extremely happy to be present here among you at this pious moment. I consider this day and moment to be ‘pious’ for the reason that the building, which is made of cement and concrete, has now been transformed into a temple of learning - a temple of Maa Saraswati, where the teachers would be ‘Pujaries –Archaks’ and the students would be ‘Devotees’ of Maa Saraswati who would be getting Vidya by way of Prasad. I pray Maa Saraswati to bless all the students who attend this temple and worship Her. |
