Student Graduation Speech delivered during Graduation Tea Party for Class of 2016 at IIT Guwahati, India
It is that time of the year where you come across various interesting graduation speeches at all levels throughout the world.
It was a Sunday morning filled with scorching heat and joyous faces of 2016 Class all across the IIT Guwahati campus. Fellow students settled a bit inside Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Auditorium, which is followed by few motivational talks by various Deans of IIT. Then comes the time I go and deliver my student graduation speech for Class of 2016.
So, here it goes……..
Hello all, before getting started, I would like to share a small piece of information I came across in The Hindu newspaper a few days ago. Indian parents, they sacrifice a lot for their children. According to a survey conducted by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, Indian Parents, especially in the middle class, spend an average of 60% of their annual salary on their kid’s college education. Four years down the line standing here I just postulate that all mom’s and dad’s, it’s your sacrifice, it’s your love, it’s your teachings that formed the foundation of our success. Class of 2016, we are here today because of our loved one’s and since our childhood, they have congratulated us on each and every small achievement. But, how often have we congratulated them for their sacrifice and for successfully raising us? So today lets all congratulate our mom’s and dad’s or brother’s and sister’s who have been there for us all the time.
A very fine good morning to Honorable Director, respected Deans and Faculty and all my dear friends. It’s been a phenomenal four years. COLLEGE — is like looking both the ways before you cross the street and then getting hit by an airplane; COLLEGE — is an endless cycle of “I just need to make it through this semester”, each and every semester.
Rewinding four years into the past, April 8th and May 18th, 2012 are the dates to be remembered today, as they decided our journey at IIT Guwahati. Mind you all, IIT Guwahati was never our first choice, but it’s our best choice.
Started as a hard working laborer for our seniors during our fachapan and complaining about the skewed gender ratio at IIT, to holding onto various secretarial positions and becoming awesome fest organizers and to hurrying through the last minute B.Tech project submissions, we had done them all.
Our typical academic year at IIT Guwahati starts with quizzes followed by technical extravaganza — Techniche, which is followed by mid-semesters and end-semesters, during which our typical ghissus share memes on their Facebook pages like “Me……trying to save grades this semester”; “Me……trying to find motivation to finish this semester”, then the fall comes with mesmerizing Alcheringa followed by the spring which multi folds the beauty of the institute and makes us fall in love with it again and again.
Celebrating Holi, Diwali, Birthday GPL’s and those nail-biting finishes of cricket matches filled with fun and excitement in our hostel TV-rooms we have made many memories of which some of them are stored in our tiny little SD-cards.
I can personally still recall those internships where visiting countries like Taiwan and Canada or some picturesque European countries for some others, I can only dream of before coming here. Those late night exams and interviews during our placements or lengthy form filling applications for Grad school applications we have seen them all.
I am fortunate for being taught by some of the coolest and knowledgeable professors in the Mechanical Engineering Department. To all my Mechanical buddies, you guys just rock. Thank you for making my stay more awesome. To my Barak Hostel, what can I say, you have been my home away from home and I am pretty sure it’s same for each and every one of you. I am sure each and everyone sitting here has innumerable moments to cherish and infinite stories to tell.
Thank you, IIT Guwahati for teaching me friendship, understanding, community, kindness, youth, optimism, unity and finally showing the world to me. A humble thank you, each and every faculty, student affairs staff and academic affairs staff for making our life less strenuous. Last but not the least, after spending some fourteen thousand odd hours looks like we have somehow made it.
Congratulations Class of 2016.
I wish you all the best for all you future endeavors and hope that you would all make IIT Guwahati proud as Alumni.
Thank you!!!
Originally published in Medium Blog