KOCHI: "My Father is my hero, my mother is my hero." began Teeka Ram Meena, the Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala as he delivered the 'In Pursuit of Excellence' 2019 lecture at the Rajagiri Centre for Business Studies.
He addressed around one thousand management students by stating that he considered India as one of the best countries in the world and that he was proud to be a citizen. He continued his speech by sharing his experiences heading the election commission and added that the people of Kerala have been extremely supportive. He saluted to the residents of the state especially the women. Teeka Ram Meena also noted that over 5.4 lakh first-time voters from the state had exercised their right in the recently concluded election. While the total hike as compared to last elections was more than 19 lakh votes.
He urged the public and the young citizens of India to implant trust in the government. He further recollected incidents from his life to advise the audience of budding managers to respect and love fellow humans. He reminisced that growing up in a remote village, close to a forest gave him the confidence to face multiple hurdles throughout his life. As a young boy he, along with his brothers had to ward off wild animals to protect the cattle owned by his family, their only source of income. Teeka Ram Meena who is fluent in Malayalam stressed on the importance of striving despite hardships and realising one's dreams.