Braver, Stronger, Smarter!
In A.A. Milne‘s Hundred Acre Wood, a well-loved book of children’s tales, Christopher Robin imparts timeless wisdom to his dear friend Winnie the Pooh, saying, “You are braver than you believe, you are stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” These seemingly simple yet profoundly insightful words carry invaluable life lessons.
These attributes of self-belief, courage, determination and passion were vividly on display in India’s remarkable space missions — Chandrayaan 3 and Aditya L1. These missions are the success stories that manifest the indomitable spirit and unwavering dedication of our space scientists.
Chandrayaan 3, the third mission of India‘s lunar exploration programme, reveals the nation‘s commitment to exploring the unknown. The scientists and the engineers behind this mission displayed immense courage and confidence by embarking on the challenging journey of Chandrayaan to the moon. Despite setbacks and failures in the previous missions, they demonstrated resilience and strength beyond measure, and were determined to learn from past experiences and conquer new frontiers. The successful launch and the performance of Chandrayaan 3 stand as a confirmation of and tribute to their iron determination and capabilities proving once again that our space scientists are indeed smarter than they thought.
Aditya L1, India‘s first mission to study the sun, further manifests the nation’s scientific prowess. The mission‘s ambitious objectives demanded unwavering determination and passion from the scientists. Their tireless efforts and unyielding commitment to unravelling the mysteries of the sun go to prove that they are all stronger than they seemed.
When we commemorate Mahatma Gandhi‘s birthday on October 2, we are reminded of another golden period in India’s history that personifies the values of truth and non-vilolence along with fearlessness and persistence. On October 31st, we also honour Sardar Vallabhai Patel, who, by sheer tenacity and diplomatic skills, united all kingdoms of the country and forged them into a great single nation. Both of them are enduring examples of conviction and determination to reach their objectives.
In this issue of The Teenager Today, we also read other stories of Aditi Gopichand, the world champion in archery, the 17-year-old Devananda who selflessly donated her liver, and Jamie Miller, a pop singer, are just a few examples of young people who are speaking out bravely for a change in our thinking and goals.
The organisers of All About Music were very gracious to invite TTT to join as a partner in their annual event, where we encountered a lot of young musicians with a similar level of passion and persistence. The saying, “You are smarter than you think” comes to mind when we think about these people. In the same way, if we have self-belief, courage, commitment, and enthusiasm, we can all embark on our own incredible adventures and make a major difference in the world.
Vincent Carmel is the Chief Editor of The Teenager Today. He brings with him years of experience in working with young people. He was actively involved with the Indore-based Universal Solidarity Movement (USM) for over three years. A great lover of the North East, he was the Director of the North East Social Communications (NESCOM), organising motivational programmes for the youth of the region.
