"History has proven that those who dare to imagine the impossible are the ones who break all human limitations. In every field of human endevour, whether science, medicine, sports, the arts, or technology, the names of the people who imagine the impossible are engraved in our history. By breaking the limits of their imagination, they changed the world."

Gandhi World Foundation சார்பாக, Gandhiji Memorabilia Exhibitionஐ திறந்து வைத்து, இங்கு உங்கள் அனைவரையும் பார்க்கும் போது, எனக்கு மிக்க மகிழ்ச்சி. ஒரு அருமையான நினவுகளை, மகாத்மா காந்தி அவர்களின் நினவுகளை, அவரது வாழ்க்கையை பற்றிய ஒரு படிப்பினையை, அவரது தபால் தலையை 120 நாடுகள் வெளியிட்டிருக்கிறது, 70 நாடுகளில் அவர் பயணப்பட்ட போட்டக்களை, தமிழகத்திற்கு அவர் வந்த நினைவுகளை, எனக்குள் கொடுத்தது. மிக அருமையாக இந்த கண்காட்சி அமைந்திருக்கிறது. இதை ஏற்பாடு செய்த Gandhi World Foundation நண்பர்களுக்கு வாழ்த்துக்கள். உங்கள் அனைவருக்கும் எனது வாழ்த்துக்கள்.

இங்கு கூடியிருக்கும் மாணவர்களை பார்க்கிறேன். நீங்கள் எல்லோரும் வெற்றியடைய, வளமான வாழ்வு பெற ஓர் சிறு கவிதை மூலம் என் கருத்தை உங்களுடன் பகிர்ந்து கொள்ள விரும்புகிறேன். அந்த கவிதையின் தலைப்பு, "வாழ்வில் நான் பறந்து கொண்டேயிருப்பேன்" என்பதாகும். இதை எல்லோரும் என்னுடன் சேர்ந்து சொல்கிறீர்களா?

நான் பறந்து கொண்டேயிருப்பேன்
நான் பிறந்தேன் அரும்பெரும் சக்தியுடன்,
நான் பிறந்தேன் நற்பண்புகளுடன்,
நான் பிறந்தேன் கனவுடன், வளர்ந்தேன் நல்ல எண்ணங்களுடன்,
நான் பிறந்தேன் உயர் எண்ணங்களை செயல்படுத்த,
நான் பிறந்தேன் ஆராயச்சி உள்ளத்துடன்,
நான் பிறந்தேன் நல்ல மன உறுதியுடன்,
நான் பிறந்தேன் ஆகாய உச்சியில் பறக்க,
நான் பூமியில் ஒரு போதும் தவழமாட்டேன்.
தவழவே மாட்டேன், ஆகாய உச்சிதான் என் லட்சியம்.
பறப்பேன், பறப்பேன், வாழ்வில் பறந்து கொண்டே இருப்பேன்.

பறக்கவேண்டும் என்ற உணர்வு வாழ்வில் பெரிய லட்சியத்தை அடைய வழிவகுக்கும். அந்த லட்சியத்தை அடைய என்ன செய்ய வேண்டும். நீ யாராக இருந்தாலும் பரவாயில்லை, உன்னால் வெற்றியடைய முடியும். உங்கள் அனைவருக்கும் என் மனமார்ந்த நல் வாழ்த்துக்கள்.

I am delighted to participate in the inauguration of Gandhiji Memorabilia Exhibition organized by Gandhi World Foundation. I am extremely happy to see in this exhibition stamps, coins, photos and statues erected across the world, postcards, rare-photos and manuscripts pertaining to Gandhi ji which are spreading the messages and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi ji to the young generation. I congratulate Gandhi World Foundation for this unique venture. I am sure, this exhibition will spread the message of great human values, ethics, peace, harmony and good conduct among the youth of our nation. My greetings to all the participants of this event. While I am with you, I would like to share few thoughts on the topic Imagine impossible, breaks all human limitations.

Friends, while participating in this Exhibition, I am reminded of the famous train journey of Mahatma Gandhi and the treatment meted out to him at Pietermartizburg, South Africa. During my visit to South Africa, I boarded in April 2004, a simulated train at Penrich Railway Station near Durban for a journey to Pietermaritzburg, just tracing the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi. It was from Durban station that Mahatma embarked on the fateful journey that in later years is regarded as having changed the course of his life. He boarded the train on 7th June, 1893 in order to travel to Pretoria, where he was due to meet legal clients. A first class seat was booked for him. The train reached Pietermaritzburg station at about 9 p.m. A white passenger entering the compartment could not stomach a coloured person traveling with him. So he went out and returned with two officials who ordered Gandhiji to move to the van compartment. Later, a white constable was called who took Gandhiji by hand and pushed him out of the train. His luggage was also taken out and the train continued its journey without him. Gandhiji spent the night in the waiting room. It was winter and the weather was bitterly cold. And although his overcoat was in the luggage, Gandhiji did not ask for it fearing further insults. Gandhiji contemplated returning to India but decided that such a course would be cowardice. He vowed to stay and fight the disease of racial prejudice. This changed the course of his life. Gandhiji even said: "my active non-violence began from that date (7th June, 1893). The path of ahimsa is great innovation of the human mind and it was a very powerful non-violent tool that was instrumental in achieving our country's freedom and freedom for many countries.

Later, during my visit, I was fortunate to meet the great Nelson Mandela and his residence in Johannesburg. During our discussions, He mentioned that India gave us MK Gandhi, we gave India back Mahatma Gandhi. What a tribute to our country.

Friends, this week, I was reading the book "The Biology of Belief" by Bruce H Lipton. He talks about the essence of Mahatma Gandhiji's teaching on belief. Bruce refers to Mahatma Gandhiji?s words which states:

"Your beliefs become your thoughts
Your thoughts become your words
Your words become your actions
Your actions become your habits
Your habits become your values
Your values become your destiny"

Dear young friends, you can see it is very important, you have great aims in life when you are young and it has multiple dimensions, finally it leads to your destiny.

While talking about habit, I am reminded of my meeting with grand-daughter Mrs Sumitra Kulkarni. She narrated to me an incident about her grandfather, which she personally witnessed.

Each day, as you all are aware, Mahatma Gandhiji used have prayer meeting at a fixed time in the evening. After the prayers there will be a collection of voluntary gift for harijan welfare. The devotees of Gandhiji used to collect whatever given by the people of all sections and this collection is counted by the supporting staff of Gandhi family. The amount so collected will be informed to Gandhiji before his dinner. The next day, a bank man will come for taking this money. Once the bank man reported that there was a discrepancy of few paise in the money given to him and the money collected. Mahatma Gandhiji, on hearing this, went on fast telling that this is a donation for the poor and we have to account for every paisa. This was the habit of Mahatma Gandhi ji, I am sure, all of us witnessing this exhibition will practice this noble habit on our day-to-day transactions which will not only be a great tribute to Gandhi ji, but also help us in shaping our destiny. Similarly, there will be many instances of compassion, humility, harmony, and respect practiced by Mahatma Gandhiji in His day-to-day transaction which should be emulated by all of us for transforming India into a noble nation with the basic foundation of righteousness in the heart. Our people can live in a green clean environment without pollution, having prosperity without poverty, peace without fear of war and a happy place to the live for all citizens of the nation and India can become a model state for the evolution of noble society in the planet

An event of the past takes many dimensions resulting in integrated thinking. Thinking gives visualization and manifest in different forms. What I am seeing today in this exhibition where the past is meeting the present and creating the future. It is true when Mahatma Gandhi started the Satyagraha movement in South Africa, it appears in front of us, as the Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for over a quarter century by the apartheid system. This Sathyagraha transformed South Africa into a free nation defeating the very apartheid system as whole. The same Sathyagraha movement which spread to various places in India gave life to the freedom movement against the British rulers. Britishers were more frightened about the Sathayagraha movement rather than a violent movement for which they had a military answer. Thus many nations were the beneficiaries of Sathayagrah movement. I would like to congratulate Gandhi World Foundation for bringing the thoughts towards the Father of Satyagrah movement to the visitors of this unique exhibition.

With these words, I inaugurate the Gandhiji Memorabilia Exhibition organized by Gandhi World Foundation and my best wishes to all the participants success in their mission of spreading the message of enlightened citizenship among the youth of the nation.

May God bless you.