VIJAYAWADA: Education and values must go hand in hand, and whatever heights one reaches in life are because of teachers, said HRD and IT Minister Nara Lokesh.
He was speaking at the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Don Bosco High School in Mangalagiri, where he unveiled a commemorative plaque and inaugurated a new science laboratory. He also paid floral tributes to Rev Fr Thomas Chinnappa, founder of Don Bosco Prem Nivas.
Lokesh said Don Bosco represents love and service, describing it as an institution that became a home for orphans and the underprivileged. Quoting Mother Teresa, he said small acts done with love can create meaningful change.
He congratulated Don Bosco Prem Nivas on completing 50 years of service, noting that the organisation has provided shelter, food, and values‑based education through nearly 35 schools across the Telugu States.
He emphasised that values are as essential as academic learning, especially when individuals face life-defining decisions. “There are no shortcuts to success, and Don Bosco stands as an example of service rooted in compassion,” he said.
Lokesh wished the institution centuries of continued service and assured his personal support in strengthening the school. He praised the founders for treating children with disabilities as their own and working tirelessly for their progress.
He added that his own success was shaped by his teachers, mentioning Manjula Madam, Narayana Sir, and Rajireddy Sir with gratitude. He urged students never to forget their teachers or the schools that shaped them and assured full support to Don Bosco’s teaching staff.
Lokesh highlighted Fr Thomas Chinnappa’s compassion in 1972, when he rescued a disabled child at Guntur Railway Station. He said meaningful change is possible only when society works together and pledged to help develop Don Bosco into one of the finest schools in the country.