The popular Chinese proverb states, “If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.” This sums up the entire philosophy of the time and life of Dr. K.C.G. Verghese, a visionary, who built the entire edifice of the Hindustan Group of Institutions. His profound qualities of enthusiasm, perseverance, vision and live networking created a springboard for many aspirants to mould their careers.
Dr. K.C.G. Verghese, though born in an ordinary middle class family in Kerala, by dint of his hard work, rose to one of the top-ranking educationists. He held on to his dreams and converted them into reality. His relentless work drove him to success. He was the pioneer to promote technical education in our country. He helped the students explore their own potential. He made them realize that education, hard work and commitment to the nation are the only means to get themselves employable and overcome poverty.
His inspirational autobiography “Wheels and Wings” will be a beacon to many at Hindustan Group of Institutions for years to come. To quote from his own autobiography; “In my opinion, the man who is thirsty should get water. The one who is hungry must be fed. The man who is thirsty for knowledge must be provided with a learning environment. This is what educational institutions are for.” It speaks volumes of his conviction and commitment to provide education to the needy.
He firmly believed, “Every human being has infinite potential. The role of an educator is to bring out the best in every individual and that of an educational institution to provide the best facilities and the right ambience”. The Hindustan Group of Institutions caters to over 5000 students. It has an amazing staff strength of around 1000 and has a scintillating alumni of 50,000. These are the testimonies of his deep-rooted desire to fulfill his aspirations. He was a true patriot and he always advised the youngsters to serve their own country.
His penchant for “Wheels and Wings” made him adventurous all through his life and his indomitable spirit always rose to the occasion and facilitated him to lead from the front. His personality had all the nuances of a great human being. He valued friendship and showed great respect, love and concern to his teachers, his family members and parents in equal measure.
The best tribute we can ever offer this architect of the Hindustan Group of Institutions could be to emulate his ideals and work toward realizing his dreams. Let his vision, “TO MAKE EVERY MAN A SUCCESS AND NO MAN A FAILURE,” inspire us to follow in his footsteps.