Vice Principal's Message

If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning. I am so happy to pen down these lines of greetings and appreciation as we release our school magazine.

The International Day of Non Violence marks the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the renowned global icon of peace. As the world grapples with violence in forms of environment destruction to devastation caused by armed conflict, Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of peace and sustainable development continues to resonate across the world, Gandhi led India to freedom despite his frail frame. He converted his personal anger into national anger and finally with this, the marvel of all weapons, he drove the English out of India. When Chanakya rooted out the Nandas, they called it vengeance. But nobody called it a revenge, when Gandhiji drove the English away.

Not only non-violence, but also truth and tolerance are essential to launch a successful satyagraha. His simple living – a simple loin cloth to wear, a poor cottage to live in, a handful of dates, a cup of orange juice and another of goat’s milk and a small cup of groundnuts with jaggery to eat, though he could have led a life of luxury – his teaching of truth and nonviolence, his insistence on good conduct, the earnestness with which he practised what he taught, his interest in the welfare and upliftment of the socially segregated, sympathy, love and understanding he had for the weaker sections and above all the soft corner he had for the religious minorities of India, elevated him to the status of a selfless saint. There are people who rank him with Jesus Christ and Lord Buddha. It is true in the true Christian spirit that he was ready to forgive the man who wanted to take out his life. “Pardon them my Lord, they know not what they do” is what he seemed to say, like Jesus Christ.

Politics was in his blood. Indeed his life was an experiment to attain perfection just as title of his autobiography ‘My Experiments with Truth’ indicates. Success and failure are only relative dependent upon many factors. Gandhiji simply lit the torch. It is the duty of someone else to carry in further. Will India carry on to do what Gandhiji had left unfinished?

Courage is always required to transform evil into good. Now is the time for each of us to bring forth such courage: the courage of nonviolence, the courage of dialogue, the courage to listen to what we would rather not hear, the courage to restrain the desire for vengeance and be guided by reason.

He was a very strong figure and a forgiving one...we have a lot to learn from this figure and make our lives too an experiment rooted deep into the soil of truth and non violence to attain perfection. I appreciate the efforts of editorial team, admire the sensitivity of the contributions and congratulate all for making a memorable chapter in the history of St. Anthony’s Senior Secondary School. God Bless.

Fr. Bibin Thurthumalil
(Vice Principal)