Dear friends in the alumni of Salesian College, We just completed the 207th birth anniversary of Saint John Bosco. All over the world it is amazing to see the kind of enthusiasm the day generated in terms of acknowledging an approach to life that respects and values young people: their freedom, their aspirations to Maximise the potentials that are in them and are God-given.
Anyone who has come into the system and has realised the beauty of being cared for – so as to nurture and fructify one’s innate aspirations – joins the team in order to enable others to do so. I guess it is precisely this angle of influencing as a result of being influenced – the outcome of an experiential learning – that makes this approach to life appreciable. It is based on “reason, spirituality and loving kindness” and if truly lived by sustains and expands itself as education. The recent events of prom night, alumni friendship cup in football and basketball for men and women held in Siliguri campus and the collaboration of Sonada alumni in the August 15th events in Sonada Campus Grounds are manifestations of the above outlining of how an idea spreads and influences a society.
This globality of good ideas from any part of the world travelling across and giving impetus to new ways of reconfiguring life is the essence of globalisation or the traditional notion of ‘one world’ or even the ancient idea “Vasudeva kutumbakam.”
Thank you to the organisers of these events and welcome to the new office bearers and members of the Siliguri chapter of the Salesian alumni Association. I do hope those who are located elsewhere will give a thought to have small or big chapter of Salesian College Alumni to be initiated and activated in their own locations.
With warm regards
Yours truly in Don Bosco,
Fr (Prof) George Thadathil sdb
Principal & Secretary
Salesian College,
Sonada & Siliguri