Knowledge and modesty, more precious than gold - President

'You are the architect of your own life. Knowledge and modesty which you inherent from your parents are more precious than gold jewellery. Your best friends are your parents who will not hesitate even to donate one of their kidneys to you if the need arises said President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He was addressing the annual prize-giving of Samudradevi Balika Vidyalaya, Nugegoda.

The President said, 'You are a pride to your College Samudradevi Vidyalaya in view of its great achievements. What is important to the world of knowledge is not the few subjects prescribed in your syllabus but there are many more things outside the syllabus which are of vital nature. This you have to keep in mind.

The Great Indian poet and Nobel Prize Winner, Rabindranath Tagore once told a prize-giving at a Sri Lankan College "Unlike me you are fortunate enough to be winners today". Therefore, whether you are winners or not, you should pursue your target with a sense of commitment and self-reliance. Parents too are duty-bound to encourage children on the right path, the President said.

'It is sheer fortitude that enabled Pradeep Sanjaya to be the first bronze medal winner at the recent Paralympic games regardless of his serious injuries suffered at the battlefield.

"Our country won what was once glorified as unwinnable. All delegations which participated at the recent Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meeting have commended Sri Lanka's victory over the most ruthless terrorist outfit in the world.

It is your shared responsibility to uphold the dignity of your motherland, the President said.

Your esteemed college is named after a great noble princess, Samudradevi. It is her tactfulness and sense of proportion which enabled her to rescue her bellicose husband Vidiye Bandara from Portuguese Captivity. "I believe not only our parents but also our children are in dire need of such unique attributes which had adorned the noble princess.

The President said, you will recall the dark days that engulfed the country when you as parents were called upon to guard schools and the agonising suspense you were subjected to. Today we have warded off such evils and assured posterity of a bright future. Will such a government ever deny the scholarship or the university admission to your dear children, the President said.

We should protect our children from the evil elements active in the society. There are some aspiring to come to power over the lives of the children and as such it is the hallowed duty of parents to take the utmost care about their children.

You cannot seek your best pal in the Facebook, Website or the Interent. There are those who try to split families - the unity between parents and children. You would remember when I said sometime ago, that I am your proud father, some people made fun of it. They are in fact insulting the fatherhood and family unity.

"Do not permit your children to fall prey to social injustices or be instrumental to evil forces but create a conducive climate at home for your children to discuss their problems with you, the President said.