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Srinagar : Asking students to trust their parents, teachers and coaches and prepare themselves for a “great future,” Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Sujit Kumar, on Tuesday advised them to reject shortcuts and “easy pleasures” in life to become responsible citizens.
Addressing students, parents and dignitaries at an event organised by Tyndale Biscoe and Mallinson schools, the IGP, as per the news agency cautioned youngsters against drugs, online betting, social-media traps and fraud.
“Young people have all the capabilities, imagination and strength required to succeed, but needed to resist temptations that offer instant gratification,” he said, adding, “As a police officer, my message to you all is never, never say never again. You have all the capabilities, imagination, all the strength, so fight, fight with your desires, fight with your illegitimate wishes, and be hard, be strong.”
“Follow the directions of your teacher, have faith in your teacher, have faith in your parents, and anything that comes very easily, say no to them. Any pleasure that is very, very easy to achieve, it will take you to the doors of hell,” the IGP said.
He cautioned students against the growing influence of harmful online activities, including betting and fraud, saying social media could become a trap for young people.
“Many types of nets in today’s date, a demon, a ghost, a jinn is roaming on social media, who will trap you in the net. To get out of this, you have to move forward in a strong direction,” he said.
Urging students to remain focused and disciplined, IGP Kumar said they should draw strength from their teachers and coaches and prepare themselves to face the future.
“So gather your strength and with the help of good guidance of your teachers and coaches, just be ready to future, to storm into a great future,” he said.
The IGP also invoked the words of noted poet Nida Fazli while speaking about the role of children and education.
Recalling Fazli’s lines, he said, “Let the little hands of the children touch the moon and stars with the students. Otherwise, they will become like us after reading a few books.”
Reflecting on the institution’s history, the IGP Kashmir said the school was started by its first principal, J.H. Nollis, with just five students in 1890.
He also recalled the contribution of Canon C.S. Tyndale Biscoe, saying that after he joined the school, its strength grew from around 200 to 1,000 students, describing the journey as one of “success, hard work, dedication, and what not”.
Recalling a lesson from his school days, IGP Kumar said his teacher had explained that humankind had two major aspects—civilisation and culture.
“He taught me that civilisation is like a rose in your garden, and culture is the fragrance of that rose, that flower. You can cut the rose from its branches, but you can’t cut its fragrance from the rose, from the flower,” he said.
IGP Kumar said the culture represented at the event reflected the “fragrance” of two great Himalayan valleys—Shimla and Kashmir.
“The great fusion of cultures we have witnessed today, it shall be remembered always,” he said.
Welcoming parents and dignitaries who had travelled from outside Jammu and Kashmir, the IGP said J&K had a strong cultural identity and expressed confidence in the role of teachers in shaping the future of its children.
“J&K has a fragrance, a strong fragrance of its culture. And I have seen that this fragrant power in the soil is in the hands of very talented teachers today. And through these children, our future is moving in a very good direction,” he said.
IGP Kumar said preserving this cultural foundation was also important for protecting children from emerging social challenges.
“I am very peaceful and hopeful that as long as this fragrance of culture continues to flow, our children will continue to be safe,” he said.
The IGP referred to drugs and several “online diseases”, including betting, getting caught in the web of social media and becoming victims of fraud.
IGP Kumar also referred to IPS officer Neha Jain, who is serving as an SP in Kashmir, saying that the manner in which she had faced challenges in the region reflected the culture and civilisation she came from.
He said students graduating from schools in Kashmir should carry the identity and strength of the region with them as they move to different parts of the country. “In the same way, I would like the kids who have come out of this school in Kashmir, to go to the different corners of the country, and tell them what soil they have come from, and what is the strength of Kashmir,” IGP Kumar said.
He assured the gathering that the J&K Police would remain available whenever their assistance was required. “Whenever you need J&K Police or Kashmir Police, we are with you, our team is with you,” he said.—(KNO)
