SPEED

 

SPEED – Society for Poor’s Education and Economic Development

 

I wrote about the SPEED in my earlier blogs. It is gratifying to note that SPEED has become stronger and kicking over the years. It has opened yet another computer centre and career coaching centre, the fourth in a row, at the prestigious Ambedkar Bhawan at Nakodar Road Jalandhar. SPEED’s President Dr. Ram Lubhaya, IPS (Retired) and General Secretary Janak Chauhan deserve all appreciation and support in their unstinted endeavours to carry forward the agenda of socio-economic upliftment of the society at large and dalit community in particular. I wish them GOD SPEED and all success.

The 4^th Computer/Career Coaching Centre was inaugurated on March 15, 2015 at a well organized function at Ambedkar Bhawan. I was also invited to participate and benefit. Thoughtfully, a seminar on the theme “Our Education System and Social Justice” was held which was very well attended by the intelligentsia from cross sections of the society. Chief Parliamentary Secretary and MLA Pawan Tinu was the chief guest at the function. He spoke with conviction and said that he would only be happy if could do something good in raising the educational facilities for the poor and needy and granted Rupees One Lakh from his discretionary fund for the newly opened Computer Centre by the SPEED in cooperation with Ambedkar Bhawan Trust. Representing the Ambedkar Bhawan Trust, Lahori Ram Balley said that it was satisfying to note that the educated lot of the community under the aegis of SPEED was rallying together for the betterment of the society as desired and wished by Babasaheb Ambedkar.  Prof. K.K. Ghai was the main speaker at the function. He said that he was proud to see that many of his students were present at the function and added that individual justice was the pre-requisite of social justice. He added that it was gratifying to note that his students excelled in life and did individual justice to themselves and were now contributing positively towards social justice. Trustees of Ambedkar Bhawan Trust, Dr. Ram Lal Jassi and Dr. G.C. Kaul also spoke and endorsed the efforts of SPEED. In my brief speech, I complemented the SPEED by introducing my small effort in starting Jalandhar School of Careers and Opportunities with a view to reach out to the needy students of the area by providing them affordable educational and counseling facilities. Patron of SPEED, Prof Baldev Narang in his valedictory address underlined the need for unity and fraternity to ward off the increasing artificial divisions even among the dalits. He enthralled the audience with his classical recital of a unity song –‘ Chajj Kar lai’ which was much appreciated.

 

By Ramesh Chander - A retired Indian diplomat