Mr Benjamin Paul Kaila’s address to scholars on January 13, 2006.

Read by Ms Sravani(9) and Master Pratheek (13)

Dear Ambedkar scholars,

This is Benjamin Paul Kaila, once a student like you all and now working in US as software professional. I am very happy to be in a position to help you in a small way with the help of other good natured people from all over the globe. So thanks to all those who made it happen.

Let me tell you my life briefly. You may not believe but, I was not an extraordinary student. I was just an ordinary student with average marks and absolutely no motivation. I came from a small village where you can see only huts and dusty roads in the dalit locality. I studied in a small school-cum-church with no doors or benches. I used to walk 4 miles each way to attend high school and I was the only school going student of my age from my dalit palle(settlement). I neither wear pants (long trousers) nor chappals till I go to college. I studied under kerosene lamps till that time. But I was fortunate that my parents were my early teachers. Once when I was in fifth standard I was beaten black and blue by a school inspector just for touching him unknowingly. Though my father was my teacher, he could not even stop the inspector beating me for fear of loosing his job. Later, when joined high school, I was discouraged to go to school by some of my high school teachers. When my father asked if I could take mathematics in Intermediate, my SSC math teacher discouraged him and advised him to send me to some arts course instead. My father admitted me anyway in math course(MPC) due to my interest in it.

But my parents educated me with whatever resources they have. Till I finished my intermediate in first class, I was not aware that I could go to Engineering. For some reason or the other, I was not able to attend Engineering college despite my attempts. I never had any confidence in me in those days. I used to read just to pass with no other motivation. I never read any book other than class books. Even after my graduation, I could not speak a single English sentence correctly.

As a teen-ager, I was a rough as any average college student, watching movies and wandering aimlessly. I was responsible for lot of grief to my parents not for neglecting my education, but for other mischievous behavior. To sum up, I was person lived with no aim or objective in life. At most, like my parents, I wanted to be a teacher, that’s all.

I did several jobs. When I was doing my computer course, everybody laughed at me for not trying for a bank or teacher job. Finally I landed in a computer job in Hyderabad.

But, one thing happened to me when I was 26. A distance relative of mine (Mr Varaprasad, maybe he is here in this function) gave me Dr Ambedkar’s biography to read. Till that time I just heard his name and never tried to know anything more about him. That’s it. After I read it, everything changed in my life. Dr Ambedkar became my hero replacing ANR and such cinema heroes. I started reading books. I tried to improve my English by reading what ever the book I come across even if I do not understand anything in it. Since then, I could have read hundreds of books on various subjects. A burning desire developed in me to do some thing for my society. My entire thought process had changed. I became more conscious of the social issues. I participated in social activities wherever and whenever possible. Now I am here with this project to satisfy my desire to help others like me.

Well, why did I say all this nonsense? Because, when I got your details from brothers Devdas and Rao, I compared them with my details as a student. I checked your social status. It is the same as mine. I checked your financial status. It is as bad as mine or worse than mine. I asked about your essays. I was told that you wrote wonderfully well. More over, you and I came from the same type of schools – public schools. You and I came from rural villages where Dalits are treated as sub-humans. You and I studied only in Telugu medium. I am sure you must have faced the same type of discrimination I faced in schools and villages. You must have experienced mental agony like me. But you surpassed me in one thing. You did wonderfully well in your education despite all these handicaps. So, I believe, you are far superior to me in your intellectual capabilities.

When an insignificant person like me can make up to this stage, what about you? I feel, you are more capable than me. When I can come to US, you have the potential to reach the Moon, for that matter even Mars. When I can become a computer programmer, you have the potential to invent a more efficient computer. When I can write this address, you have the potential to become great writers and authors. You have greater potential in you. You have greater vision than me. You have a better future than me. You can reach far greater heights than me. You can help others as we are helping you now.

What you need is self respect, encouragement, vision, discipline, and guidance. As it is hard to get within our community, we lack enthusiasm and feel abandoned. We are here to provide you whatever we can, at least morally. I want to see all my scholars (past and present) to be highly skilled professionals like Doctors, Engineers, Computer specialists, Journalists, film Producers, Directors. I want to see you in bureaucracy, in the positions such as IAS, IPS, IFS and Class I officers. I want you to compete with the so called upper castes in every discipline of education. I want to see you as suppliers, distributors, stock brokers, and big industrialists. I want you to go to foreign countries and become experts. I want you to be politicians of Dr Ambedkar stature. I want to see you as confident professionals in all walks of life. I want you to rewrite the history of India by proclaiming that we are inferior to none. I want to see you to be the best in the country – wiping out the biased view - “Dalits are merit less”. This is my vision for both boy and girl scholars present here.

But how is it possible? It is not possible just like that. It is not a good luck. It is not miracle. It is possible only if you follow certain guidelines in life. A few of them that came to mind are:

1. Learn English well: English is the universal language. English is needed for all sorts of jobs and interviews. If you know English, you can live anywhere in the world. Most of the modern knowledge locked in English books. So, learning English well is the path to your success. But, how to learn English? Read books and magazines if you understand or not. Listen to BBC or other English radio stations. Watch good English movies. Converse in English with friends - correct or incorrect. Remember that practice makes man perfect.
2. Develop self confidence: As children of Dalits, we are told since childhood that we are inferior to others and fit for nothing. We feel bad for our poverty. Poverty is not a crime. Remember how Dr Ambedkar and our late president K R Narayanan struggled before coming up in life. Birth as a dalit is not inferior. No, we are no way inferior to none in this world. But living hopelessly is below dignity. So, build self confidence and self pride. How to build self confidence? Think positive. Let us coin a new phrase “DALIT IS DIGNITY” and spread it everywhere. Why “Dalit is dignity”? We, Dalits, worked hard to earn our livelihood for centuries doing all sorts of degraded jobs. We never cheated anyone or grabbed others benefits. We are the producers of wealth of this country for centuries. Our sweat is in everything others say good and beautiful and prevent us even to touch. We were the builders of India for thousands of years without asking anything in return. Remember that we were the builders of Indus Valley civilization, one of the ancient civilizations of the world where our ancestors built hot water swimming pools and multi story buildings when most of the western world was still in nomadic state. Remember our great arts which are getting neglected. As children who came from villages, you know our culture better than urban children. As Babasaheb said we were the Naga rulers once. So, why to feel ashamed to be a dalit? Be proud and be confident.
3. Read Ambedkar: Learn about Ambedkar as early as possible. His life and work gives you the necessary armory to fight any type of discrimination. He should be your Hero. Start knowing him from the book (his biography) we have presented to you. I still regret for not knowing him when I was a teenager. His life has power to change the lives (especially dalit lives) in the right direction.
4. Work Hard: There is no substitute for hard work. Nothing comes for free. When something is difficult, do it again and again. The more hard you work now, the more comfortable the life in future. So, work hard now to enjoy good life later.
5. Learn discipline: Discipline is very important for one’s progress. Try to be discipline in financial and educational matters. Please do not waste this scholarship money for cloths, shoes, lipsticks and other such cosmetic things. Please deposit this money in a bank and use it when necessary. Please use it only for education purpose – for books, for extra coaching etc. Similarly, follow a disciplined path in your studies.
6. Be computer literate: You know the importance of computers in the present day society and try to be computer savvy.

I have already taken lot of time. So, I want to conclude by stating that we are ready to help you in any matter to the best of our ability. We want you to be in touch with us through email and let us know your progress now and then. We will feel happy if we hear from you at any time. Please tell about this scholarship project to other children and encourage them to study well to receive it in the future years to come.

Please visit our website www.ambedkarscholarship.org for further information. You can write to me at ambedkarscholarship@yahoo.com whenever you feel like. I promise, I will reply to you as soon as I see it in my mail box.

Jai Bheem.

Your brother

Benjamin Paul Kaila