Ceremonial Address at Zenith 2025 Amritsar by Vikram Grewal (transcript)

Respected Chairperson, Director, Principal, teachers, students, parents & all other members of this esteemed institution that takes the Spirit of Spring Dale to greater heights every year, I wish you all Good evening & also congratulate all the brilliant minds that are being honoured today at Zenith 2025! Now while writing this speech I realized that this is just a single sentence and that took me back to my own school days where the Chief Guest would arrive without a written speech & would go on and on with so much 'gyaan' & lecturing and we would never even remember what he or she had said, because we would be busy with the 'excitement of excellence' & fanfare surrounding these special events. 

So this is why I have a short written speech that just revolves around a single word so that we all stick to the time limit and at least remember what the address was all about. Now, in today's time this one word could have been or should have been anything from the 'Gen-Z' lingo and that would've been lit  and we would've vibed, but the fam out here would be very sus therefore I am restricting my urge to slay, no cap and I would stick to the OG of all words relevant during school life & I wish I had developed it while I was at school and that is the GOAT of most things in life & i.e. 'CURIOSITY'!

Friends, I just want you all to embrace curiosity because curiosity is like an age-defying compass. I know during classes sometimes you would be feeling that why are you studying certain things that you don't want to or you don't feel are useful. I want you to stick with that 'Why'. The 'what', the 'how', the 'when' - they are actually not just words but directions to live by. 

Ask yourself - if you have won this prize today then how or why? Did you do something different from your classmates? Does this prize mean more to you or your parents? Is it an honour for your past or a promise for your future? How is it that you have excelled in this renowned institution? Do you recognize this immense privilege? Do you acknowledge that this opportunity does not even reach millions of children out there in the world - who just by the stroke of bad luck - couldn't make it to where you stand now or will be standing in the future doing great things for yourself, your family & your country. Ask yourself - would you want to make the most of this privilege & work in some way for those who couldn't access this stage. The point is to keep asking. 

Ask yourself who is this strange guy on stage asking you to be curious and what gives him the right to express that thought. And now is the time - while your minds are developing. And your teachers & parents will help you in that even though they themselves might struggle to give you the answers. But dont worry, answers might take years to arrive but that shouldn't stop your questions. And now if you're wondering when will this speech end, the answer is 'now' - if you all promise to stay Curious. 

Thank you and all the best.