04-06-2025 : Speech of Hon’ble Governor on the occasion of 156th Foundation Day of Sherwood College.

It is a true honour to stand before you today on the momentous occasion of the 156th Foundation Day of Sherwood College.
156 years!! What a milestone. What a legacy.

Very few institutions can claim a heritage so rich, so alive, and so relevant.

Sherwood isn’t just an academic institution. It is a living, breathing legacy. A place where history meets hope. Where discipline meets dreams. And where boys and girls are not only taught how to succeed but how to lead.

This school has quietly shaped some of India’s finest minds. People who have led armies, built nations, inspired art, and brought honour to their professions and country.

From the legendary Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw and Major Somnath Sharma, India’s first Param Vir Chakra recipient, to decorated generals, public servants, entrepreneurs, artists, and changemakers, this hilltop institution has produced leaders who didn’t just make a mark. They set standards.

But today, as we stand at this remarkable milestone, we are not just here to remember the past.
We are here to prepare for the future.
Because the world is changing.

Faster than ever before.

Artificial Intelligence is transforming industries. The global economy is being redefined. Climate change is altering how we think about growth. And every day, we wake up to a world that feels more complex and more interconnected.

But in this whirlwind of change, a quiet revolution is taking place.
India is rising.

Not just as a country but as a global force of ideas, talent, and resilience.
We’re no longer the back office of the world, we’re becoming the brain trust.
Our young minds are coding at 13, pitching startups at 16, publishing books, creating change, winning debates on global platforms not waiting for opportunity, but creating it.

And Sherwood College is part of that story.

Because here, education isn’t limited to what’s written in books. It’s about what gets written in character.

Students here learn to think, to question, to lead with empathy and most importantly, to serve with purpose. These green hills and echoing halls don’t just build scholars. They build citizens of the world.
In an age where machines can solve problems, it’s people with values who will solve crises.
And that is what Sherwood has always stood for: not just competence, but character.

To the students here today.. this is your time. You are not just inheriting a proud legacy. You are the ones who will carry it forward. In boardrooms and battlegrounds, in labs and legislatures, in communities and corporations, India needs young people who are wise, not just intelligent. Grounded, not just successful.

Let me also express my heartfelt appreciation to Principal Mr. Amandeep Sandhu, under whose leadership this school has balanced tradition with transformation. Your commitment to not only safeguarding the ethos of Sherwood but also ushering in future-facing practices, especially during the pandemic, is truly commendable.

To the teachers.. thank you for being the lighthouses in this fast-moving world.
To the alumni.. your continued connection is proof that this institution isn’t a chapter in one’s life, it’s a compass.
And to the parents.. thank you for entrusting this school with your children, and thereby, with India’s future.

As we step into the 156th year of Sherwood College, may we continue to inspire not just students, but leaders of substance—those who rise with knowledge, speak with humility, lead with courage, and live with meaning.
The world is watching India.
And India is watching you.

Let’s make the next chapter even greater than the last.
Thank you.
Jai Hind.