OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROGRESS

According to a 1999 survey, the wealthiest person in India that year was a Muslim from Bangalore named Azim Hashim Premji. That year, his net worth was 176 billion rupees. This suggests that opportunities for progress in today’s world is limitless. It is even possible for someone from a minority community to succeed and surpass those from the majority community. (Times of India, June 27, 1999)

At the 37th convocation ceremony of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (Bombay), Mr. Azim Hashim Premji shared his experiences in his graduation address. It becomes clear that Azim Hashim’s success results from 25 years of continuous hard work. For a long time, he dedicated his abilities fully to his business. On the other hand, he repeatedly traveled across the country to recruit highly skilled young people, building an excellent team through their efforts. He learned from his own experiences as well as from others. He states that the greatest secret to success is never-ending hard work. Through long-term planned efforts, he achieved his current success. Azim Hashim said, “The future is not what happens to you, but what you make of it.”

In this world, anyone can reach the same level of achievement as others. The only requirement is to take the necessary steps toward the success they want.

What are those actions? They include having a clear vision of the goal, a firm determination to achieve it, dedicating all one’s abilities to it, making a united effort through capable individuals, drawing new courage from every challenge, and continuously increasing one’s knowledge. These are the principles of success in this world. And for anyone who fully embraces these principles, progress becomes as certain as the sunrise after dusk.