The Fabindia School is not an institution but a movement!

Keynote Speaker Alumni Yogendra Singh Mertiya's Speech on 25th Annual Day

Good Evening to all of you, honourable Chief Guest, Members of the Bhadrajun Artisans work, my respected teachers, parents, many good friends and fellow Fabindians. It's a very emotional moment for me. 25 Years for any institution for any thought are not more, but today I want to refuse to acknowledge that Fabindia school is an institution because it is not an institution. It is a movement because the institution doesn't bring any change institutions only make the change suitable. Works that had been done in the world are done because of thoughts. 25 years from now, 80% of ladies and girls were illiterate; there, the school's central focus in any education to make ladies and girls literate was because they are the country's future. No other good revolutionary thought was there.

25 years before, migration took place due to climatic and economic conditions. People were migrating in search of work because they were not getting opportunities here. At that time, a person came here to give us a chance. I really thank Mr William and the family for thinking like that. People had gone outside to make their future, and you had come here to make our future. And we welcome you here for all the love and affection. The places that I visit are only because of your blessings and support; I got many opportunities in my life because of you. And many times, I feel that I have not done anything for that. The love that I got from here, I always say to God that whatever is given to me is not mine; the Fabindia School offers it.

Some days back, I had gone to California, I had gone to Canada, and there is no country where Fabindians are not there. I was so fortunate that one girl from this school, Ritu, met me; she works in the Uber Company, the world's largest company. She invited me to her house in California. I  left the school12 years back, but the school is still asking me. I am very fortunate to be a part of this function and be an ex-student of the school. A few days back, I met two Ex-Students in Delhi, and they told me that they never thought they would be in Jawaharlal University and Miranda House. They said that they never felt inferior there; instead, they were confident because their experiences were enriching, all because they studied in The Fabindia School.

I will end by saying that when I took admission to St. Stephen's College, New Delhi, India's best college, I never felt ashamed to say that I was from a village; I was not missing any quality that the others had. I felt very confident, and this confidence helped me a lot. To the students, I would like to say that I have seen many places in my life, you have the best kind of education that you can imagine of, make the best of it; there is no road that we cannot take. I HAVE TAKEN THE ENTIRE ROUTE from IIT to NMU, Delhi University, and the University of Pennsylvania. If I could do it, then you too can do it. Never feel bad, never feel less than anybody, you can do anything that anybody in the world can do, and we are all there for you. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to speak here, and I wish all the best to everyone and thank you so much.

Listen to the speech on Radio Fabindians.

Thank you, Mr Ravi Kaimal, CoFounder of The Fabindia School, for a copy of the video clip to produce this episode.