Sita Ram and Good Morning.

My husband and I wish to thank the Sanatan Dharma Maha Saba for its kind invitation to attend the 39th Baal Vikaas Festival this morning, and for its extremely warm welcome to us. I would also like to say thank you for allowing me the opportunity to address you, very briefly, this morning.

As you know, one of my main areas of interest as President, is our country’s young people. This is one of the reasons that I am so thrilled to be here this morning – because the Bal Vikaas programme focuses heavily on our primary school children. Another reason that I am so interested in the programme is because, as I understand it, the true meaning of “Bal Vikaas” is “the Blossoming of the Child”. What a beautiful idea to bring alive by means of this programme.

The beauty of the programme is not just in the majesty of its conceptual framework, however; it is also in the power of its actualised objectives.

I have been told that its objectives include the creation of an environment of respect, tolerance and harmony for students of all cultural and religious beliefs; complementing the school’s curriculum and assisting in the holistic development of the child; and providing an opportunity for the community and school to work together – to name just a few.

You will understand, therefore, why it is I stand in wholehearted support of this programme. I do so because the preservation of our peoples’ history and culture is an indispensable and critical component of nation-building. I do so because I believe that it is the duty of all agents of socialisation – the principal ones being the family, schools and religious institutions – to ensure that our history and rich culture are not only learned, but are actively observed and respected by our children. I do so because it is only when a people know and respect their history and their culture, that a society is able to share a common memory of where it has been, of what its core values are, and what is the direction in which it wishes to go. And I do so because, by immersing our youth in our nation’s history and culture, the Bal Vikaas programme plays a vital role in equipping our nation’s children to undertake the task of asking probing questions about our society, and also, of answering them.

I therefore commend and congratulate the Sanatan Dharma Maha Saba for establishing and for continuing the Bal Vikaas programme for the past 39 years. I commend and congratulate you for providing for our primary school children, a safe space and a platform for them to build their self-confidence; for them to foster teamwork and engender team spirit; and for them to foster healthy inter-school competition – all of which help to create well-rounded and empowered citizens.

I commend, as well, the parents who, by encouraging and permitting their children to participate in the Bal Vikaas program, have demonstrated their understanding of the importance of an holistic approach to education – particularly in these times when our children can easily fall prey to negative influences.

I also applaud the teachers who have given selflessly of their time – beyond normal school hours – to coach, work with, and train the students.

Above all, I congratulate and extend my and my husband’s best wishes to all of the students who will be participating in today’s CHOWTAL competition, and in the other competitions in the coming months. I encourage each of you to enjoy your school life; to participate in programmes such as Bal Vikaas; to read and discover more about your culture, and, in so doing, to cultivate a deep understanding of what our nation’s core values are; and, in time to come, to make wise and informed decisions about the direction in which you wish our nation to go. I encourage each of you to make your country proud.

As I close, please permit me to take this opportunity to also congratulate Pundit Dr. Rampersad Parasram, the sixth Dharmacharya of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Saba, to whom this year’s Bal Vikaas is dedicated, in celebration of his 80th birthday.

And so, I thank you for affording me this opportunity to have spoken with you and I wish the Sanatan Dharma Maha Saba and all participating schools a safe and successful Bal Vikaas 2024.

Thank you.