Mawkyrwat: Home Minister James K Sangma on Wednesday inspired the students of Mawkyrwat area in South West Khasi Hills District, saying that the youth of Meghalaya do not need reservation if they work hard and strive for excellence.
Speaking as the chief guest at the ‘Maniwell Jahrin Award for Academic Excellence’ ceremony held at Maharam Govt. HS School, Sangma said, “I can’t tell you how I feel honoured to be standing here today because these children performed so good scoring 88-89 per cent. It’s amazing. People say ‘we need reservation, we need reservation’. I’m thinking to myself why do we need reservation? We don’t need reservation. Look at the young boys and girls. They are doing so well and we can compete, we have the capacity and capability and we can be the best. Let us compete with the rest, let us not think about reservation. Let’s not say ‘Well, I will pass with 40% and that is enough’. That is not the right attitude for our community, for our state and for our generation. We need to move ahead, we need to be confident; and with these young boys and girls, I am sure that if they (awardees) can do it, why not the rest of you? I am very confident and I believe in all the youngsters that all of you can really do well.”
Sangma also congratulated the students who were awarded. While lauding the girl awardees, Sangma said that they are going far ahead as they have outnumbered the boys during the award ceremony. He then called upon the students, especially the boys, to do much better.
Speaking about (L) Maniwell Jahrin of Jakrem Village, who has served in the Army as well as an advocate in Jaintia Hills Court, Sangma said, “(L) Bah Maniwell lived a great life. He was a good father and a God-fearing man who lived for the glory of the Creator. We need to have more and more of such role models for the good of society in today’s age. We will never be able to come out of this age of decadence until and unless we start acknowledging the life of such great people. I believe that if we have more of such people as our models, we will shape our life and we will see us come out of this age of decadence, violence, all the crimes and all the bad things that happen in this world and we will live in a better world.”
Sangma also lauded the family members of (L) Maniwell Jahrin for the initiative taken in organising such a meaningful programme and urged upon the students to bring about a change and an inspiration to others. He ended his speech with the quotation from the Bible from the Book of Timothy Chapter 4 Verse 12 with a prayer that God will bless the family of (L) Jahrin.
Recipients of the Maniwell Jahrin Academic Award were Jerry W Nongsiej, Refreshment Marwein, Ebornes Kharwar, Naphibaiar Nongrum, Phidaiahun Khyllemkharai, and Wanhunlang Nongsiej.
Others who were present during the ceremony include local MLA and Chairman MIDC Renikton L Tongkhar, former deputy chief minister of Meghalaya Rowell Lyngdoh and teachers and students from various schools in Mawkyrwat.
