Matter of Pride and Contentment

Matter of Pride and Contentment

Yesterday, June 8, was the school graduation ceremony called “Studenten” in Sweden of my grand-son, Arvind living in Stockholm. In Sweden, it is considered a big day in the life of an upcoming young person and is celebrated with gusto not only in the schools but in the families and also in the society at large. I was planning to be in Stockholm for the Studenten Ceremony of Arvind

but Corona Virus willed it the other way. It was a pleasure to join my son and daughter in law, Naresh and Anju in June/July, 2018 for the Studenten Ceremony of my grand-daughter Pallavi with pride and contentment. The maternal family of Pallavi i.e. Nana and Nani Ram Saran and Bimla along with their son and daughter in law Vivek (Jimmy) and Rajni with their two cute children also joined and enhanced the joy of the occasion. Even my daughter Vaishali with her two daughters Komal and Tania joined the family in Stockholm from Canada and made the family union all the more enjoyable.  It is third time when my siblings have had their Studenten in Stockholm – my daughter Vaishali in 1993, my grand-children, Pallavi in 2018 and Arvind now in June, 2020. I wrote in my blogs about the Studenten of Pallavi which may be seen at link given below. It would provide you some more information as to what is the importance of the Day and how it is celebrated.

https://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/2018/06/studenten-school-graduation-ceremony-in.html

As I wrote earlier in my blogs that educational system and practices in Sweden and India are quiet at variance. Swedish system gives more emphasis on knowledge and learning for practical purposes to enable students to enter life at about 19-20 i.e. after passing out

Pallavi Chander

from the Gymnasium (Higher Secondary level) with confidence where as in India, 10 + 2 system (Higher Secondary) is only a first step to mature and graduate in a college and then enter life. We need to learn from countries like Sweden to reform our educational edifice. I have observed this personally with the education of my daughter and grand-children in Sweden.

When children grow up and do well in their educational pursuits, it is a matter of pride and contentment for the parents. We are happy with Arvind’s Studenten and wish him all the best for further success in life. I am confident that he must be looking forward to join a good course in one of the best universities of Sweden to secure and better his career options like his sister Pallavi. Our yet another grand-

Komal Singh

daughter, Komal, in Canada daughter of JP and Vaishali has also graduated this year from school and would receive the honors formally by the end of the month of June as per the local practice. We will congratulate and wish her all the best later. These up-coming children give us hope and solace and we feel proud and contented as we say in Punjabi – Mool Nalon Biaj Pyara.

I advise my children to read and follow the poem “Bachon Ki Dua” of Allma Iqbal – God bless you all.

लैब पे आती है दुआ बान के तमन्ना मेरी,

जिंदगी शम्मा की सूरत हो ख़ुदाया मेरी।  

दूर दुनिया का मेरे दम से अंधेरा हो जाए,

हर जगह मेरे चमकने से उजाला हो जाए। 

हो मेरे दम से यूंही मेरे वतन की ज़ीनत,

Studenten of Pallavi

जिस तरह फूल से होती है चमन की ज़ीनत। 

जिंदगी हो मेरी परवाने की सूरत या रब,

इल्म की शम्मा से हो मुझ को मोहब्बत या रब!

हो मेरा काम गरीबों की हिमायत करना,

दर्दमन्दों से ज़ईफ़ों से मोहब्बत करना। 

मेरे अल्लाह बुराई से बचाना मुझको,

नेक जो राह हो, उसी रह पे चलाना मुझको।