Talk at Sports Meet of National Public School, Gopalapuram, Chennai

I was invited by our good friend Lalitha Das who is Senior Principal of National Public School, Gopalapuram, Chennai to be the Chief Guest at their 56th Annual Meet. I agreed immediately. I always enjoy meeting up with Lalitha, Anil and Nandita, having known them for over thirty years now. Lalitha said there would be about a thousand children parents, teachers, Principal Ms Sujatha and CEO of the NPS group Mr Hari Krishnan. 

Welcome - Mr Harikrishnan, CEO, NPS, Ms Sujatha, Principal

Mr Harikrishnan and me

Sports Meets normally are rather noisy because they are outdoors and also because there are large numbers of children. So when I told Anjali I would give a short speech because no one would listen, she said that as a student who had attended many school sports events, she expected me to to give a message that is relevant to students. Most students like to listen to good words of advise. She also told me to take my time, pause and stuff like that, which I know I normally do not do. Hopefully someday. But most importantly, make the messages relevant to them and their life.

A lovely gift

And flowers - Lalitha to the left

Thanks to Anjali's direction, I wrote down my speech and made it more student relevant. I added two or three things - one was that imagery and famous people and incidents to drive home a concept, another was to share an insight into an abstract concept and most importantly how it can help them.

So the speech began with me congratulating the school on organising such a large and elaborate event (it really was done very well) and that its one of the big lessons that sports teaches us - team work. The Indian cricket team can achieve great things only as a team - not because of one or two stars. Anything big can only achieved as part of a team - so it makes sense to be a team player. How do they relate to this - the common dilemma of should I play for myself or for the team is easily addressed here - play for the team and your performances get better and bigger. More importantly, when you play for the team there is less stress on you. So lesson number one from sports - play for your team if you want to achieve anything big.

A very cute event

Another one

Another one

Second lesson was about the concept of winning and losing in sports. Winners are those who prepared better for this day. It does not mean that the losers can never win. The losers have to prepare harder and better and come back to win. Our results are all about our preparation. Preparation includes - physical, skill, mental and emotional preparation. So don't take a win or a loss as a final thing - it is about today and only today. One win or loss does not define you. You can go back and prepare and come back. Nothing to feel bad about or give up on. Just about preparation. (I had Sachin Tendulkar as an example of preparation, but I forgot to mention his story).

March Past

March Past

Each house being marked for March Past

The third lesson to take from sports to life is resilience. All champions are champions because they lost more times than they won. (I had Michael Jordan in mind and forgot about him too) The only difference between them and us is that we give up but they keep coming back. Do not let a failure or a rejection bother you. Come back and try harder the next time and in time, you will also win. Winning is all about coming back and not giving up.

Flag Hoisting

Speech

Winners

We are all blessed with different talents - some are good at running, some at cricket, some at studies, some at art, some at dance - find your passion and give it your 100%. Enjoy the process, give it your best shot and results will show.

A lovely performance

Pyramid show

Another formation - awesome stuff

My congratulations to the winners and my best wishes to those who participated. You are all champions inside - all you need is to play for your team, prepare, never give up and give your 100%. No one can stop you.

Thank you

Winners

It was a lovely program and I ended up staying from 830 am till 130 pm - till the every end of the program. The students were fully engaged in their house competitions and I had a great time. I hope they did too.

And again

 And thank you Anjali for a timely piece of advise and also for making one important aspect of public speaking fall into place for me. Make it relevant to the audience. Give them insights. Take yourself seriously. Present it so they remember the points. I visualised speaking to myself when I was their age in school and perhaps having lost a race and spoke to that me. I think that will work every time going forward.

Thank you NPS. And thank you children. Wishing you all the very best in your future.