Distinguished guests, Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen:
I want to express my deep appreciation for your warm welcome. Thank you for your hospitality. My special thanks to my cousin Shah Asfar Faizan for organizing this event. I admire and appreciate his leadership and his passion and his commitments to Shah Family. It is my distinct pleasure to be here today. I am humbled and honored. I want to stand shoulder to shoulder with all of you for the ideals that we share and the vision and values that we cherish.
A lot of things bring us together as we are bonded by shared love of my ancestral village, shared history and shared heritage, shared background and shared belief and shared faith. Our bond are stronger than the differences that drive us apart. As I look out these young generations, I see the future of India. I see the future of the world.
I commend all of you for serving the educational and social and cultural needs of your community. I want to express my deep gratitude for your efforts and commitments. Your talent and time will contribute the direction and success of this village. Your success is everyone success.
I am one of you. My ancestors were born in this village. I am always proud of Shah Family – a family that has done so much to help build a strong family. I admire my family’s strong values. My ancestor are buried beneath this beloved village. I am standing on a ground where many of my ancestors stood. Each piece of this place tells the story our proud past. This village remains an inseparable part of my life and my journey and my story. This village has shaped the lives of many generations including my own. This village has inspired and influenced many generations. My family and I will always be grateful and indebted to this village. I relish my heritage. I still cherish and nurture the fond memories of this village. I appreciate my family’s and this village’s finest tradition- that is sharing and giving back and be compassionate and concerned. My parents taught me: To treat people in the way you want to be treated. Give dignity and respect to others. Do what you can do to serve your community. My upbringing and my faith had a tremendous impact on me during my formative years. They shaped my character and my destiny and influence the person I am today.
Now I want to share my thoughts on education and young generations of this village. All of you should commit to working together to eliminate disparities in education. The statistics on Muslims in poverty and without education in India are stunning. The situation for many Muslims especially youths are heartbreaking. It is lack of education and poverty that breeds violence and failure. It is the lack of education that fuels frustration and desperation. The greatest gift you can give is the gift of education. Education empowers the mind and uplifts the soul. Education is the best investment you can make to build your future.
Education is the powerful equalizer opening doors to all to lift themselves out of poverty. Education propel individual and nations forward. You should extend hand and help to your brothers and sisters who need assistance. You should commit your selves by making things better for the next generations. Students has always been our best hope. You should commit yourselves by keeping their hope alive.
In closing, I want you to be the best you can be and exploit your fullest potential. No hope should be high enough and no dream should be large enough for you to attain. You need to work hard and aim high and pursue your dream. All of you have role and responsibilities to shape your fate and future. Remember as long as you believe in your selves, the future will always be yours.
All of you are strong and vibrant. Therefore I am confident if all of you work together to provide opportunities to those who have no hope and no voice. I can say your best days are ahead of you not behind you. If you come together you will endure and thrive.
All of us will do well to remember everything is possible when we work together, when we learn from one another, when we listen to each other and when we set aside our differences to work for shared goals with shared responsibilities and shared sacrifice.
Thank you for giving me an opportunity to share my thoughts
God bless you