Farewell Speech for Valediction of 29th IDEPA, NUEPA, New Delhi on 29/04/’13

Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of the University, Distinguished Heads of Department, Learned Professors, esteem lecturers and staff, my Dear Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen. At the outset, I would like to wish you all a very Good Afternoon.

I am Phurba, hailing from the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan which is, some choose to say sandwiched between two giants, India and China. Today, I am standing before you, with a myriad of emotions; quite similar to those I faced the first day I entered this building. Most of all, I will miss the very heart of my experience as a student; my friends and my teachers. A lot of things will change in our lives from now on! But the memories, the fun, frolic, experiences, no one can take that away from us. I am extremely proud to be able to call this University as my alma mater. I am proud to call myself as an alumini of this well known University, which is truly, The Peak of Learning.

If there is one thing which we’d take from this University back to our own country, it’ll be the point about the nectar of knowledge that we have sucked from this very university. Knowledge is power and we cannot quantify or put price tag on it. It is precious and priceless. As most of you may be aware that most of our friends are facing difficulties to limit their baggage to the quantity allowed by respective airlines. If knowledge, experience and learning are something tangible, I don’t have slightest doubt that the situation would be far and worse than limiting our luggage. Within this three months time we have learned many things, so much so from not having touched the computer to techno savvy. We were able to engage ourselves meaningfully in social media where a group exclusively has been created for 29^th IDEPA which is administered by me on the face book. It was surprising that within a few weeks, whole batch has become members of this group. We can now vividly remember those planning techniques like projections and various educational indicators, to name a few which were something new to many of us. We cannot say that we have became management gurus after completing this course but I am certain my friends will agree that we have started our journey towards it or in the worse cases we are able to at least learn many new management, economics and financial terminologies which were just jargons that we never consider important. With this course, now at least some of the mediocre with halt hearted knowledge will not easily fool us. It is from this course that we were given the roots to grow and wings to fly. We were enriched. We came as caterpillars and we are going as butterflies. However, we can reach so far but not further had it not been our learned professors, strongly supported by efficient management. Therefore, on this special occasion on behalf of our friends and on my own, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the souls that were involved directly or indirectly to enable us to do some soul searching here.

When I look back at these moments today, I see that in the depths of despair and the heights of happiness, we’ve all been together. I know that my batch is always with me; and so it must be the case with many of us. From East, West, North and South, we were able to make a good family for three months. We came from unique and divers background. Forget about knowing each other, many of us didn’t hear and didn’t see some of the countries even in the map. We have diverse group coming from Eastern Africa, Western Africa, Southern Africa and Central Africa. We were also joined by our only colleague from Chile, Latin America which has stunning natural beauty and robust free market economy. We have also participants from Asia’s most enthralling destination like Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. Joined us were participants from unmistakably beautiful archipelago of the Philippines, from the pristine and sacred Himalayan countries like Bhutan and Nepal, from the Island of Sri Lanka and mountainous Tajikistan. Some are independent from time immemorial while other got independent later. Some are rich some are not so rich. Some are endowed with precious resources while others have their own advantages. These vast differences were an added advantage for this batch in increasing the intellectual frontier of our knowledge. To all my dear colleagues, it was fortunate that because of our karmic reaction, we were able to cross our path in the journey of our precious life. We have learned a lot from each other. We have shared every good moments and created good memories during which we laughed and sing together. We might have also passed through some difficult time but we’ve been together in all this. I personally would like to take all those good memories and dump here bad memories if at all we ever had one.

Personally, I am honoured to be part of this programme. It is like coming back home. Firstly, Bhutan and India shares an exemplary relationship which we always look forward to nurture in all times to come for the mutual benefit of the duo. Secondly and importantly, I personally felt indebted to India for making who I am today. This is because of tireless effort put in by my dedicated Indian teachers. They took days to reach my schools cooking food under umbrella and sleeping in the densely forested area. In my entire ladder of education, I didn’t have a single year without Indian teachers and still I am learning from Indians. So, this is a blessing in disguise for me to visit the sacred place where my Gurus belong.

Lastly but far from the least, I just have two cliché words for the university and my friends.  That is Thank you.

Tashi Delek!

Phurba

Bhutan

My first day in Delhi

Glimpse of traffic

Hailed from the tiny village in the corner of Bhutan, I along with two other friends came to India to pursue International Diploma in Educational Planning and Administration offered in National University of Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi. The very next day we went to class for registration where we found around 40 others to be our classmates for the next three months. All of us were from different parts of the globe especially developing countries including Africa, Latin America and Asia. The first day was not so occupied but we were reminded that once the class actually starts we will be pretty much occupied. I am familiar with Indian Education system though. We were also briefed on the situation of Delhi and not to move out of the campus for at least a week. Also oriented to campus and small shops in the campus where we get some basic needs. And if at all we need to go out of the campus, we were asked to go in groups with assistance from our staff.

We didn’t pay heed to the advice and decided to go out the very next day without informing our staff. Our friend from Vietnam and Chile joined us because we Bhutanese know Hindi which indeed is added advantage but funny part is that most of the people don’t understand the Hindi we speak. Even others wanted to go for shopping with us just because they think that we were expert in Hindi. Confidently we went out of our University gate and took an auto to the town. In the first place we had tough time remembering the name of the place and shopping centre. But we were able to reach in a shopping mall known as ‘Select City Walk’ located in the south Delhi. Remembering the name of the mall was not easy but remembering name of place itself was even more difficult. The exciting and entertaining mall is located in Saket. Some of our friends call us but we were not able to tell the mane of the place and and our location. That was funny. Whatsoever, we have done some shopping.

Then with our not so versed Hindi we boarded in a rickshaw this time to reach us in the metro station. Our next station was to drop a parcel to the Tibetan camp in Majnu Katila. In the metro station, as usual we asked other strangers regarding our destiny. Luckily we have taken travel cards from Bhutan to be used in metro from our friends who have been to India recently. We have given a card each to our two new friends. After a little hiccup in knowing how to use the cards we got into the metro which is already jammed packed. The name of the station where we were supposed to get out was our mantra. Then again we took a rickshaw to reach to Majnu Katila. We have no idea where the place is and got out of the rickshaw before reaching the exact place. After looking around and wandering for sometimes we asked some Tibetan monks. Then we were told that we have not reached the place and from there we decided to walk. After walking for a few minutes, finally we were able to reach the camp which is very crowded. Then the challenge was finding the particular house.  After asking many people we found the house and drop the parcel and instantly returned since the lady who was supposed to receive the parcel went to town.

By then we were too tired and hungry too. From the face, we could notice that our two friends were worried. Then in an auto we again came till the metro station and boarded again. After getting out of metro we told name of our university to all auto and rickshaw drivers. We were surprised that even a single heard doesn’t know the name of our university which is supposed to be renowned.  We have very vague sense of direction. With great effort we were able to cross the road to the other side. From there we decided to take a bus. To the bus driver, we said that we want to go to IIT gate. Accordingly, the bus left us there. We look around, but there was no sign of our university. We enquired around and luckily we were able to meet a lady who speaks English fluently. She clearly showed us the direction and we followed her advice obediently.

Finally we saw the name of our university and our two friends were clapping their hands out of amusement and they took sigh of relief.   While it was unimaginably difficult, we were able to reach back safely. It was really adventures and we said that it was a great discovery.

Later over the dinner, the same was the talk in dining hall. Our two friends said three of their Bhutanese friends were hero. We laugh out a lot reflecting back to our acts and repeating what we said. It was difficult but very beautiful when we actually reflect. Such moment will be remembered and cherished in the distant future but at the same time we don’t want such things to happen again in our life.

Annual Sports Day at Langmadung PS, Trashiyangtse

Currently, I am on tour to the eastern districts of our country along with my colleagues.The centre piece of our tour was to consult with the districts and in particular with the District Education Officers (DEOs) on preparation of draft 11^th Five Year Plan. We were also looking at various construction projects in the East. We reached Trashiyangtse district, the eastern most districts which share border with India and China after a day of working in Mongar district on 9^th November, 2012.

When we reached in Trashiyangtse, at the outset, the DEO invited us to Langmadung PS as guests for their Annual Sports Day which was scheduled 10^th November, 2012. We were looking forward for the opportunity which seldom crossed our path. To make it to the Sports day, we were to complete our purpose of visit. To meet our intended purpose, we worked very late in the night and with great effort we were able to complete all our work and set for the sports day.

In the morning we went to Langmadung PS accompanied by the DEO. Present in the reception were the Principal and teachers with parents who received us very warmly in keeping with our aged old tradition.

Langmadung is a tiny school established in 2008. Today the class ranges from PP through VI which is a primary cycle of education in Bhutan. With 96 students the school is manned by 7 young and inspiring teachers. While the school is small and located in the rural, there are many big initiatives taken recently. We could see a lot of hopes and dreams in the school. Unlike in many schools in the urban area, the school lack many facilities. However, the school has proven that education can take place even under the tree. We were reminded that fabulous infrastructure can reach so far but no further.

Many big wonderful initiatives are taking place in this school. From many initiatives, one such initiative is ‘whole school approach’. They strongly believe that a school is place of learning; therefore, they encourage full participation. Another equally important initiative was ‘designed for change.’ The school is also partnering with a private school in Thimphu. Annually, they have cultural exchange programme between urban schools and remote schools. Such initiative will teach our urban youths, their roots while providing exposure for the children from rural schools.

Another worth noting features and perhaps very rare is the support of the community to the schools. Even though, most of the parents are not so well to do, but they realized the importance of quality education. Parents’ collaboration and community support to the school is very distinct feature. Continuation of such noble participation by the parents will definitely take the quality of education to the other heights. Parents have contributed both in terms of cash and labour for the construction of prayer wheel in the school. They have also constructed classrooms for their children to study apart from provision of alter in each class. These made the school rich spiritually. Such acts are vanishing speedily from our society.

Balloon game by PP children

During the sports day, I was amazed. The ground is approximately 30 m square. At the beginning I was silently wondering how to conduct sports events under such circumstances. But with initiatives from the inspiring teachers, various games and sports have been improvise to soot the ground. I was amazed to see that they were able to improvise and showcase varieties of sports in the small ground. It was my first time seeing most of the sports events that were being played. They had organized in such a way that all the children can participate in one or other games. Interesting games were also reserved for parents and guests. The day provided us every reason to rejoice.

Stories on my way

Bhutan is a small country but many more to offer if one tries to explore. Often many beautiful things are over shadowed by what is more easily accessible. Amongst other, there are many legends and anecdotes that are likely to disappear due to poor documentation. Today, everywhere we go there are many legends that are alive in lips of many of our village folks. But a time will come that those beautiful stories will wane as these are hardly passed down to newer generations. So much has been done to keep our bed stories and legends alive by many relevant organizations but a lot need to do especially those from hard to reach places. My recent visit to one of the hard to reach nomadic communities in Bhutan made me to think and contemplate on such things. While many of my colleagues were thinking of how to cross the snowcapped mountains as it was tiring climb up the steep, I was seriously listening to an elderly man from the village who narrates many wonderful stories that I was hearing for the very first time. Listening to those beautiful stories and looking at the spectacular landscapes help me forget my tiring journey. Among many stories, which I cannot resist to pen down was about the then Dzong (fortress) at Soe located at the base of Jomolhari pass which now stands in ruin state.  

The ruin of Dzong at Soe

At the base of Mt. Jomolhari there used to be a magnificent fortress (dzong) belonged to the then king which is now lies in the ruin state. While I couldn’t find the written history about the fortress, but some local people have a beautiful story to share. History tells us that there used to be a king in each locality and Soe is not an exception. According to the local people, the dzong belong to the king of that locality. However, they were not able to trace back the exact time when there was a king. It must be before Zhabdrung’s era but the exact time is still an unanswered question which needs further research. According to him, the king was not very happy with the location of his dzong. As such they said that the king was being very unreasonable to order his subjects to annihilate the mighty mountain which is opposite to his dzong in order for him to get an early sun rise. The sun rays were being blocked by the mountains. No doubt, while getting early sun would be more than desirable in the high altitude like Soe which is over 4000 metres above sea level but this was humanly impossible. After receiving command from the king, all the people of the locality gathered to discuss how they were going to behead the mountains so that their king will enjoy an early morning sun. As expected the discussion reached to the conclusion that they were not able to completely dismantle the mountain as desired by their king. Meanwhile, a lady from the corner with a baby on her back suggested that it will be easier to destroy the King instead of destroying the huge mountain. Others in the meeting agreed to the idea shared by the lady. Since then the people claimed the dzongkha proverbs ‘Bumey Sherub gee Rangshin’ which is roughly translated as women are by nature, intelligent was hailed from the incident. Some says that the lady was the disguised local deity of that place. Accordingly, one fine day all the people have secretly stoned the king to death. The place where the king was killed is today filled with pebbles and rocks, said the villager.  After this unfortunate incident, the late king’s family and relatives fled to neighboring country, erstwhile Sikkim. Still it is believed that the descendents of king are residing in Sikkim. We were told that when king’s relatives fled to Sikkim they took a sacred stone along with them. It is still believed that the sacred stone was placed in Nathula, Sikim and the descendents of the king even today offer their respect and take homage from the stone instead of coming to Soe.

Having got the opportunities to travel length and breadth of our wonderful country and meeting its beautiful people is deeply fulfilling.