-Ramesh Chander, a retired diplomat
(Samaj Weekly)- On October 27, Police DAV School, one of the best schools in the region, invited me to deliver a key note address at the inaugural session of the annual event – Model UN. It was the second time successively when the honours fell on me; courtesy Principal Dr. Rashmi Vij, one of the finest and acclaimed academician and educational administrator around. I write this with a sense of gratification in the process of living my post retirement life as I find myself fully engaged in such productive activities with a view to pay back to the society.
As usual, Model – UN 2023 was a well arranged and aptly conducted function under the stewardship of Principal Dr. Rashmi Vij, an embodiment of culture and dignity with her competent colleagues and Coordinators of M-UN; Balwinder Singh, Manoj Dutta, Sheema Sharma among others. The well planned and presented programme was interspersed by cultural items of songs and dance by the talented students of the esteemed school. The welcome speech of Principal Rashmi Vij was very inspiring and thought provoking. Thanking me for joining them at M-UN, she said that since the subject matter of the event was diplomacy and international affairs, it was only appropriate to invite a speaker of relevant background.
In my key note address, while thanking the school management for inviting me again to the event I said that I tended to accept such invitations without any hesitation for my own somewhat selfish reasons. I utilize such opportunities to charge and recharge my batteries by meeting and interacting with intellectuals and academics and also young students which also further educate me. I briefly touched on the role and contribution of India in the functioning of the UN and added that India was yet to get its due and rightful place and space at the Horse-shoe High Table of the Security Council of UN in New York. Lamenting on the emerging situation in which UN was fast losing its relevance, I quoted a diplomatic assertion, “What keeps me awake at night is the issue of relevance of the UN”. Commenting on the evolving foreign policy of India, I said that it was a matter of satisfaction that coming out of the ‘goody-goody’ phase, of late, it had been observed that Indian foreign policy was getting pragmatic and assertive and rightly so.
Underlining the importance of such events, I informed the young audience that Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, father of the Indian constitution delivered a historical and thought provoking lecture on Parliamentary Democracy in India way back in October, 1951 at the session of the Mock-Parliament of Jalandhar DAV College. Abhimanyun Rathore, a talented and well-groomed student, declared the M-UN 2023 open with aplomb as the SG of UN. Principal Rashmi Vij appreciating the role and contribution of the entire team of young students of the school told me that they did most of the things in-house with regard to the M-UN under the supervision of Tanvi Khanna as Head of Operations. A vivacious duo of the school talent; Bhuvan and Niharika steered the function as skillful Anchors. It was a pleasure to be there at the Police DAV – Model UN 2023. The bonus was to meet many of the worthy Principals of the Schools in and around Jalandhar and also the grand-parents of the SG Abhimanyun Rathor, dignified senior citizens belonging to an established business family of Jalandhar.
Watching and listening to the young students performing and participating in the M-UN 2023, it gave me feeling of satisfaction and a poetic assertion came to my mind –
Tu Pehle Baat Phir Baat Ka Andaz Paida Kar
Phir Zamane Mein Tujhe Koi Nazar Andaz Kar Nahin Sakta
