Mr. Sankar Halder’s speech on 19th Foundation Day

Mr. Sankar Halder – the Founder President of Mukti – started his motivational speech by thanking the audience and partners for always being supportive of Mukti’s cause and for traveling to attend the program.

He said that Foundation Day is always a day of remembrance for him. He feels emotional while talking about the past, which holds both good and bad memories. He expressed his keen desire to open up about his plans for the future. Talking about the past, he read out some lines by Rabindranath Tagore that resonate with him:

O past speak, speak

O silent past, O secretly moving

Unconscious you are not.

Why won’t you speak?

I have heard you moving in my heart

You bestow on my soul countless gatherings of countless days

O Past, your work goes on in many worlds, unknown to all

In the midst of bustle of the day, you remain still

O past, in the recesses of the heart, speak, speak!

(হে অতীত কথা কও কথা কও,

স্তব্ধ অতীত, হে গোপনচারি,

অচেতন তুমি নও – কথা কেন নাহি কও?

তব সঞ্চার শুনেছি আমার মর্মের মাঝখানে

কত দিবসের কত সঞ্চয় রেখে যাও মোর প্রাণে!

হে অতীত, তুমি ভুবনে ভুবনে

কাজ করে যাও গোপনে গোপনে,

মুখর দিনের চপলতা মাঝে স্থির হয়ে তুমি রও|

হে অতীত, তুমি গোপনে হৃদয়ে কথা কও, কথা কও|)

He recounted how 19 years ago, amidst the broken furniture of a primary school inPurbaSridharpur village, some youths, who are now Mukti’s guardians, held a meeting for the betterment of society. Some of those same people are here today, while many have had to leave us due to the unstoppable flow of time. 19 years down the line, in today’s meeting, there are people from all over India as well as abroad. That is how the seed planted in the past has become a great banyan tree; that is how the foundations laid in the past have created the structures of today.

The fact that the banyan tree has spread its roots so far and wide may be due to the coexistence of the right things. The quality of the seed was good. The quality of the water, air, and soil on which the tree grew up was hospitable. But there is no reason to think that the banyan tree will grow forever. At any point in time, a fierce storm can twist and break the tree. It would be prudent to watch out for that. Ups and downs are a reality of life, and so Mukti has gone through many ups and downs of its own. But if the organization keeps running along its overall trajectory so far, then we have faith that it will advance in the future as well.

He explained that it is the foundational principles of Mukti that have helped in advance, Mukti. He dreams and wants to create an organization whose core values will not change with time. If such an organization can be created, it will stand the test of time. Three things were taken as the foundation for Mukti, and these have remained unchanged from the day of sowing of the seed to the present day. These three things are – truth, peace and love. Mukti believes in these three qualities. He advised Mukti family members to manage all conflicts and issues on the grounds of these qualities. These three qualities will always light Mukti’s path.

While speaking about accountability, he said that today’s biggest problem is cheating to assert oneself. This culture is like thieving in your own house (ভাবেরঘরেচুরি). This is leading to a situation where everyone is corrupt, and corrupting to some extent. He asked all Mukti Sathithat their conduct should stand up to the judgment of time.

The conflict between idealism and materialism has been going on since the beginning of civilization, which no one has been able to resolve till now. Some say materialism through evolution gave birth to life and from life idealism emerged . On the contrary, some people say that if people don’t learn to think, none of the material will be created.

He appeals to “Mukti Sathi”  that they should evaluate their own work and assess whether they are improving every day. Self-scrutiny will eliminate 99% of problems. He considers this to be a truth. He urged all to judge themselves in the dimension of time.

Mukti is working to improve society through its various projects, but what is the point if the individuals working on the projects are not improving themselves? People’s greed does not end even after getting the basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, education and health. All the pollution in the world is because of greed. How much for need? Those who construct houses sleep on the streets, and those who own houses keep their houses closed to others. What is the benefit if it’s the rich people who are clamoring for less pollution? Industrial civilization will never sustain the way it is going.

Education that cannot transform individuals into good human beings is not education. People should acquire humanity through education. Here comes the need for values education.Mr. Halder said that he wants the parameters of the education for Mukti teachers to be created in a different way. Teachers will teach students to acquire humanity. Conventional education is essential for livelihood. But the priority for Mukti will be to create ideal people, as this is critical for a healthy society.

He said that we see many farmers who are producing poison-free food but they have no recognition. On the other hand, we all respect the farmer who is injecting poison into people’s bodies through their dishonest produce. He wants Mukti Sathi to start recognizing honest people and appreciating them. May they acquire that eye!

Industrial civilization can never solve the problem of unemployment. There will always be a surplus of employable youth. Mr. Halder said that he wants to engage this surplus workforce in Mukti’s work. Even if people do not work, they may not lack food, clothing, and shelter. But for a dignified life, livelihood is needed. Mukti will try to employ all those who can provide productive labor.

He hopes that different types of people will come to Mukti with their different thoughts, different problems, different spiritual needs, and different ideas of solutions. Mukti wishes to include them in its folds. He called for a change in people’s minds and mindsets in the meeting place that is Mukti. When that happens, that day Mukti will have succeeded. He concluded his talk by wishing everyone good health and well-being.