Mohammad Sultan

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

As the College Captain of St. Joseph’s College, Prayagraj, I am filled with pride and gratitude to serve the institution that has shaped me into who I am today. St. Joseph’s College is not just a school, it’s my second home, a place where I have grown, learned, and made memories that will last a lifetime.

From the classrooms to the playgrounds, every corner of our college holds a special place in my heart. It’s here that I discovered my strengths, overcame challenges, and built lifelong friendships. The values of integrity, hard work, and compassion that our college instills in each of us are the guiding principles that I carry with me every day.

I am deeply committed to giving back to my Alma mater, to ensure that every student feels the same sense of belonging and pride that I do. My love for this college drives me to work towards creating an environment where every Josephite feels motivated to dream big, work hard, and support one another.

As we embark on a new academic year, I encourage all of us to cherish the time we have here, to make the most of the opportunities before us, and to contribute positively to our college community. Let’s continue to uphold the traditions of St. Joseph’s while embracing the new challenges and opportunities that come our way.

Together, we can achieve great things and leave a legacy that we can all be proud of.

Antariksh Johri

Being a Josephite is in itself a proud feeling and it gives me immense pleasure to pen down my message as the College Captain of my patron, St.Joseph's College. A big thank you to the Principal, the management and everyone involved in the process of selecting me for the honourable and prestigious post of this exceptional institution.

“Coming together is the beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success.”

A team is like a tool set. A single tool cannot do all the job, but with teamwork, something even incredible and miraculous can happen. So let's join hands to make our college hustle hard in every field and to make the college flag flying all over the sky across all formats. Leadership is not confined to designation, it is about the impact, the inspiration and the motivation that hustles others with confidence. I, as the College Captain, promise to go all nine yards to bring glory to my honourable school and to lead as an example. I would want each office bearer to abide by the following three aspects going forward. Firstly Fortitude, which means the ability to have mental and emotional strength to cope up with challenges. Secondly, Passion which will drive you to think innovatively and move forward. And lastly Relentlessness, in pursuit of success and excellence in each and every task you perform.

I feel as if all these memories, some dim, some elusive and some clear as crystal, tell me that school is so much more than just grades, uniform, discipline and assignments. I can’t believe that such a long time has passed and it sends a chill down my spine just when I think how beautifully and amazingly this institution has carved my upbringing and personality and has kept up with the values and ideals it always stood for. Being a passionate and a loyal leader,I’ll try my level best to help the students to accomplish their inspirational grades and I assure you that I'll leave no stone unturned to make our school reach unscaled heights.

St Joseph's College has been an integral part of my life and I owe all my achievements to the institution. I think it's time for me to pay back for the value addition this school has done in my life. So, I, Antariksh Johri, would try to take forward the enlightening and indwelling vision of our principal and administration.I promise that I will coordinate and cooperate with every student and will work with zeal,devotion and determination to produce fruitful results with innovation and novelty.I'll make sure that I lead by example and in my journey as the office bearer, all the students of SJC become better humans along with keeping the child within themselves awake and our holy institution achieves greater heights of Glory in the coming time. I'll surely uphold the sincerity and honour of my post and will give utmost and proud results to my school, upholding the motto of our college So, my dear fellow Josephites, let us pledge to unite and show the strength of St. Joseph's College to the world....!!!

"Semper Sursum."

Mohammad. Aabis Islam

It's an honour for me as the College Captain to be able to convey my message to you through our college's website and before I carry forward my message I want to thank our beloved Principal, Rev. Fr. Thomas Kumar, our Vice Principal, Rev. Fr. Anil Michael, Headmaster Rev. Fr. George Medepalli, our Administrator Mr. A McGowan and our Staff Coordinator Mr. Jyoti Dube for investing in me their faith and the responsibilities that come along with the post of College Captain.

I, along with the other office bearers took the oath to strive to the best of our abilities to live up to the ideals of SJC and fulfill all the duties entrusted to us under probably the most challenging and uncertain situation of the pandemic. The circumstances under which I got the opportunity to be the Captain of SJC is something that I could never have predicted.

While the red walls of SJC witness silence and is almost desolate vis-à-vis how it used to be and while our meetings that used to take place in the library or the reading room get replaced with the meetings on Zoom and Google Meet, I as the College Captain, promise to act on the oath I took to stand tall in these dark times with poise and aplomb and inherit the spirit and strength that SJC is known for. I am sure that this unique state of affairs will bring out the uniqueness in my leadership and the leadership of my fellow office bearers and will motivate us to be someone special and to do something special for SJC. I feel enraptured to lead an amazing pool of talent and work with them to render service to our College.

Now that I am able to reach out to a wider audience, there are a few things that I wish to tell you all, particularly my juniors who aspire to be the leaders of SJC -
Josephites, at any point of time you are carrying, not just the image of yourself, but the image of SJC with you and it is the responsibility of all of us to ensure that we preserve and protect both the images. When you become leaders and when you step into our shoes, make sure that you treat your badges not as awards but as
symbols of responsibilities that are invested in you. Your achievements will only be defined by how responsible you are in carrying out those responsibilities and that will be your award.

Never forget those people who were with you through thick and thin and the ones who played and will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping you - your parents, teachers, friends, seniors and opponents. It is their love, care, guidance and criticism that will make you a better person. At the end of the day each one of us is different instruments of an orchestra named SJC and it is incumbent on all of us to play our tunes for the orchestra to play its symphony. At the end of the day we are the fruits of the same tree and we need to always have each other's backs and show the true spirit of camaraderie or as Pitbull would say,

"Show the world we are one".
I won't quote any famous personality who I think will inspire you all because I believe we choose our own ways of getting inspired, so in the end I just want to tell you to enjoy the moment before it becomes a memory and make sure that the whole is always larger than the sum of its parts. That's the message from the College Captain of the batch of 2021-22. Thank you for reading.

"Semper Sursum."

ADITYENDRA SRIVASTAVA

I feel absolutely honoured to reach out to you through our college’s website as the College Captain of the '21 batch. I feel blessed to be leading my fellow Josephites and it wouldn’t have been possible without the blessings of the almighty God, our beloved principal Rev. Fr. Thomas Kumar, Vice Principal Rev. Fr. Anil Michael, Head Master Rev Fr. George Medepalli, The Administrator Mr. A. McGowan, The Chief Coordinator Mr J. Dube and all my beloved teachers.

Well, this school has witnessed a lot of great things and has also stood tall even in dark periods but what the red walls of SJC have never witnessed is silence and being void of it’s own children, but this year the dusty blackboards have been replaced with computer screens and all those hours on the football field have been replaced by muted mics and the filled corridors have been replaced with haunting silence. Maybe this year was more about teaching us how life at every minute can be so uncertain but even in this short span of uncertainty what a man requires as a social being is a new perspective which keeps up with the pace of this fast moving train. From the day I stepped in SJC and got my clothes dirty with the mud of the football field to the day I stood at the podium delivering my speech as the captain, there has always been a fear, somewhere deep down inside of leaving this place and I am very certain that every Josephite has once had this fear in his heart too. You see maybe this is what the definition of man being a social being wanted to teach us, that man is nothing more than opinions and relationships which he keeps very close to his heart and of all the empires that have stood and that have fallen down the only people who made a difference were the ones who were willing to change their opinions and relationships based on circumstances because just like a snake which cannot cast his skin has to die, such are the minds which are prevented from changing their opinions.

You see, wars are never meant to be won, maybe they are meant to be continuous because on one side where a person celebrates their victory, others mourn in silence and to quote Ted Mosby : "There's no way of knowing for sure where the safest place is, so the best you can hope for, is to have some good company."

I am grateful to be studying in a school that has taken care of their students' happiness even in such adverse situations. And with great power comes great responsibility, so I pledge to stick firmly to my duties and make decisions that will not only benefit my fellow Josephites but our entire school as a whole.

"Semper Sursum, Always Aim High."

UTKARSH SINGH

"Leadership is having a compelling vision, a comprehensive plan, relentless
implementation, and talented people working together."
- Alan Mullaly

I am grateful to God for getting this opportunity to lead this prestigious institution as its College Captain for the Academic Year 2019-20. Being the College Captain has always been my dream and wearing this badge on my chest and this sash over my shirt, I feel like my biggest dream has come true.

However its not just a dream that has come true but also a new journey which has started, a journey which is going to be filled with ups and downs but also, a journey which will have various beautiful moments and a journey which will not just teach me but all of us something or the other and that is the best part about this journey. Without a vision any journey is incomplete, and I feel it is an essential quality for a Leader to have a vision for his team and I also have a vision not just for my team but for each and every Josephite and that vision is, that we take our school, our beloved SJC to even greater heights than it already has and not just in one field but each and every field and that we prove to everyone that SJC is not just a good school but it is the best school.

I want all my fellow Josephites to know and to understand that no matter what the circumstances I will always believe in them even if no one else does and I also want to help them develop a firm belief in their abilities and more importantly, in themselves.

My school has given me a lot over the past 12 years, it has imparted me not just with education but with discipline, confidence, compassion and so many great virtues and I believe that now it is my time to serve this great institution, as its College Captain. I would like to assure everyone that I will try my best to make sure that SJC achieves great heights and my aspirations for my team and myself are always going to be very high because that is what this institution has always taught me,

"Semper Sursum-Always Aim High."

KANHA MISHRA

"Leadership is not about a title or
a designation, it's about impact,
influence and inspiration."

It is my privilege to be appointed as the College Captain of St. Joseph's College, Prayagraj for the Academic year 2018-19 and I would like to express my gratitude towards the people who have made this possible. This institution always imparts to her students academic excellence, discipline, morality, individuality amidst team spirit and above all, spiritual values. So, I would like to start by thanking the Almighty for his grace bestowed upon us. Next, I would like to thank our Principal, Rev. Fr. Rolfie D'Souza who has been a paragon of hard work and intelligence.

I would like to say a very special thank you to our honourable Chief Guest of this morning, I.G. Mr. Ramit Sharma. It is an honour to have your here, Sir. I would not have been here if it had not been for the backbone of our College, our teachers and I thank them for their guidance, wisdom, support, timely help and for turning our dreams and aspirations into reality.

I would also like to mention the name of our Former College Vice-Captain Shalabh Singh. Shalabh, I feel that it doesn't really make a difference if I have this badge or you do, the badge stays with one of the brothers and I will be glad if your feel the same way. You have always been by my side and I consider myself blessed that I have a friend like you.

I would also like to take a moment to congratulate my batch mates and my juniors who have been appointed to various posts. I know that we will work together as a team for the prestige of our College. We have our work cut out for us but we will not shrink back from working hard. We will not shirk our responsibilities but will step up to the plate and make sure that the name of our College and it's glory is never diminished but ever increasing.

The things that we have gained from this institution are priceless and it will be impossible for us to pay even a fraction of it back, but now, we have been given the opportunity to see to it that the name of our College remains untouched and to follow the path emblazoned by our predecessors.

I am really looking forward to start my work with all of you, and I don't mean just the office bearers, but all my fellow Josephites. I intend to teach, lead by example and most importantly to learn many things from all of you during these eight months. I am sure we will make a great team and will live up to the expectations of the people around us.

In the end, I would like to say to my team that we need to step forward, work hard and bring about a change for the betterment of not only the College but also our Nation. I assure you that I will do my duties to the best of my ability and will walk beside you in every situation. Let us leave no stone unturned and let us aim as high as we can because 'Semper Sersum, Always Aim High'. At last, I would like to quote Voltaire -

"The price of greatness, is responsibility."

Yashasvi Raj

The popular rap artist, Eminem, in his Grammy award winning song, Not
Afraid, sang –

We'll walk this road together, through the storm
Whatever weather, cold or warm
Just letting you know that you're not alone
Holler if you feel like you've been down the same road

His Excellency Rt. Rev. Dr.RaphyManjalay, Principal Rev. Fr. Rolfie D’Souza, Vice Principal Rev. Fr. Joseph Sagayanathan, Headmaster Rev. Fr. Titus Lobo, Administrator Mr. A. McGowan, parents, teachers, and young men of St. Joseph’s College,I feel absolutely honoured and humbled, reaching out through the portals of the school website, as captain before you. Gentlemen of the cabinet, on 21st July 2017, we took an oath as office bearers of this esteemed institution. Holding a post at St. Joseph’s College has a lot of prestige attached to it. The city of Prayagraj and its people view us with regard and admiration. We have a lot of expectation resting on our shoulders. It is up to us, to match up to them. The only way to do that, brothers, is if we take our office as a responsibility, as an honour, as a duty to give back to the school to which we owe our childhood. We are the chosen few among the many who have aimed to be here. It is now upon us to live up to the trust and faith reposed in us by the administration.

It is said that leadership is unlocking one’s potential to become better. So, go ahead gentlemen, exploit your abilities. Use your potential to the best you can and when the session ends 8 months from now, you’ll see the difference this badge pinned across your chest made to you.

Fellow students, in my experience of the 12 years I have been in this hallowed institution, discipline and respect have been the distinguishing features of one’s character. I urge you all today, as your college captain to always bear in mind that the bond we make with teachers is invaluable. Further, reverence for the teachers, cooperation with the administration, respect towards the support staff and lastly, brotherhood and solidarity with each other will make us an unbeatable and invincible TEAM.

I am reminded of the time when we were practicing for Josephest last year. The entire school had a role to play. Right from the opening ceremony by the students of the middle school to the backstage and on stage help and performances by the high school students. The event was a perfect display of how each and every cog in the wheel is important. The teamwork shown by the entire school was admirable and that is something I am looking forward to seeing this year as well.

This brings me to the plans I have I in mind for this academic session. Our generation, the generation I’d like to call of fidget spinners and memes, our generation must pay as much attention to extra curriculars, as we do to academics. The many associations and clubs in school give us a perfect opportunity to do so. A school where every student is following his dream, chasing his passion, excelling in his activities – that is my vision for St. Joseph’s College this year.

Josephites, when we exit from the blessed portals of this school, we want to leave behind a legacy. We want to be remembered – remembered for good. They only way for that dream of ours to come true is if we aspire to make a difference. There will be a lot of our younger brothers looking up to us. If each of us is able to influence even one of them in a positive way, is able to make a difference in their attitude or in their life, consider this dream fulfilled. We need to lead by example, gentlemen. The red and yellow brick buildings are something we’ll remember when we’re old and grey, but it is the people, the living souls of teachers and fellow students, who will remember us, and our legacies.

A word to those who could not manage to get a post this year – do not lose heart, my friends. You still have your individuality and personality. Nobody can take that away from you. In fact, work doubly hard and at the end of the year, show what you were, and are capable of.

To finish my speech, I’d like to quote from a book, The Greatest Guide, by Robin Sharma – “Learn more than is normal. Laugh. Cry. Stay Humble. Be kinder than expected. Shatter your limits. Inspire others. Dream big but start small. Act Now. Don’t Stop. Change the world!”

I thank you for giving this message a read. May the glory of our school continue to shine and may our brotherhood continue to grow! Sempur Sursum! Always Aim High!

ANAHAD NARAYAN

His Excellency, Reverend Bishop Raphy Manjali, Respected Principal, Father Rolfie D'Souza, Vice Principal, Reverend Father Leslie Kutina, Our Head Master, Reverend Father Albert Lobo, all the teachers and staff, distinguished guests, and last, but not the least, all my dear younger brothers who make up this amazing family of Josephites, a very good morning!

Let me begin with frank confession. Even though you expect me to be confident, composed, calm and collected, as I stand before you making this maiden speech as Captain, deep down I'm nervous like never before, humbled like I've never felt in a long, long time and, believe me when I say this, have not the faintest idea as to what a Captain's speech should be all about. So, I think, it's best if I kept it simple, straight and from the heart rather than the mind, for while a mind is known to play games, hearts, with apologies to Shakira, don't lie.

An office or a position-any position-can be different things to different people. To some, it's an honor, to some a badge of recognition, to some it's a duty and a responsibility, but there's a very small, minuscule minority to whom an office is nothing but an opportunity of service. Truth to tell, it's the last category whose act is the toughest to follow, it's that last set of people that are the rarest to find but, at the end of the day, it's these people alone who can matter and make a difference to those who have put them into that office.

Today, as I, and the rest of the School cabinet, stand in the shadows of this historical institution, preparing to step into the shoes of our worthy predecessors, the one wish I fervently crave for is that we do so with a sense of service, and all the humility at our command.

I'd honestly like to believe that the badges that have been pinned to our chests today, the sashes that have been draped on our shoulders and the trust that has been reposed in us by our superiors, are not so much a reflection of any achievement we have already notched up, but only a mandate for accomplishing all that the school thinks we, as its first servants, are capable of.

Today, the entire journey of mine through the hallowed precincts of St. Joseph's College-from the time I entered it's imposing portals, through my perambulations in the junior school, and then, crossing the field, in the corridors of the old building, is looking like a kaleidoscope that's been given a huge shake, and suddenly, I am here before you to do a job that so many others before me have done with such aplomb that I feel myself totally humbled, and dare I say, all at sea.

But since the dice has already been cast, and the mandate given, I hereby give myself to do what I have been chosen for. And in doing that I'll look for your blessings, I'll seek your guidance, I'll crave for your support and pray for your cooperation. Every inch of the way and every day for the next 365 days. For, if there's one thing I am sure of, it's just this, "Together, we can", and together, we will. While it's good to be told that we deserve what we are getting, it would be infinitely more satisfying, one year from now, to be told that we had deserved what we had been given. To that hope, let’s all say it together, Long Live St. Joseph's, Long live our brotherhood! Semper Sursum, Always Aim High!

PRAKHAR PATHAK

It is a matter of immense honour and privilege for me to stand before you all today as the COLLEGE CAPTAIN of this esteemed and prestigious institution. First of all I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our chief guest this morning, Bishop and chairman of St Joseph’s College, Most Rt. Rev. Dr. Raphy Manjlay, our Principal Rev. Fr. Rolfie D’souza, our Vice Principal Rev. Fr. Leslie, our Headmaster Fr. Albert, our manager Fr. Victor and our primary section coordinator Fr. J.B. Fernandes, respected teachers and my dear Josephites. I am speechless by the amount of faith you all have entrusted on me. I assure you all that I’ll leave no stone unturned in taking my college to greater heights.

Dear comrades, I am not the only leader present here-all of you standing in front of me has a leader within you. Leadership is based on goodwill, to lead you- I’ll not walk in front of you but beside you. All of you must have heard the phrase that –“no one is born great they become great by their deeds”. Our actions define us. Our beloved Alma Mater has made us what we are today and it’s time to prove ourselves. Today I invite you all to join me in this ambitious journey of making 2015-16 a remarkably- fruitful academic year.

Remember only justice, fairness, consideration and cooperation, mutual understanding, great wisdom and broad views can finally lead each one of us to the dawn of success. While surging forward it is evident that we’ll face obstacles but we need to overcome them. Don’t find faults, find a remedy. It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness. Friends the batch which has been pinned on you does not grant absolute freedom the BATCH signifies a particular responsibility and it reflects that you all are trustworthy. We all need to be extra-obedient and respectful towards others. We need to set benchmarks for our successors.

If we do three works in parallel that is team work, sincere hard work and smart work then no force can defeat us. We need to rise from the depths of pseudo idealism and move into the depths of realism. I believe in the words of John F. Kennedy,” Infuse your life with action. Don't wait for things to happen. Make them happen. Make your own future”.

Friends, let us start the process of making history today. May god give us strength so that we all can strive, slowly but surely towards the fulfillment of our college’s motto “SEMPER SURSUM-ALWAYS AIM HIGH”.

Apoorva Krishna Misra

"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

It is a privilege for me to be the College Captain of this esteemed institution in which I have been studying for the past twelve years. Our beloved Alma Mater has played an important role in lifting its students' vision to high sights, elevating their performance to a high standard, and building their personality beyond its actual limits.

My dear friends, we all have a leader within us. It is men, who possess the qualities to make history but not the other way round. In the absence of leadership society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change the things for better. We all should have a vision. A vision upon which we should articulate clearly and forcefully on all occasions

So my friends, recognize the leader within you and work with full enthusiasm and exuberance to achieve your goals, because Leadership is nothing, but the capacity to transform vision into reality. Remember the great words of Swami Vivekanand, "Arise! Awake! Know your strength and do not stop until your goal is reached." The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comforts, but where he stands at the times of challenge and reality. So do not be afraid of obstacles try your best to overcome them. In case, you fail you should cumulate all your spirits, should labor with sheer determination to rise like a Phoenix.

We know that united we stand and divided we fall. So throughout this academic session we will try to work together as a team and will always stand by each other because we believe that UNITY is strength. According to Mattie Stepanek, "When there is teamwork and collaboration, impossible things can be made possible."

I will try my best to do full justice to this responsibility bestowed on me as I believe in the words of Nelson Mandela that "It is better to lead from behind and put others in front especially when you celebrate your victory, and take the front line when there is danger." “Semper Sursum”

Pranjal Awasthi

“Nothing is too small to know, and
Nothing is too big to attempt”

-William Van Horne

It is an absolute honor for me to reach out to you through this prestigious portal, as the College Captain of St. Joseph’s College Prayagraj.

I take up my responsibility with hope, conviction and resolve to live up to the ideals of my College; performing my duties with utmost sincerity and dedication. As our Principal often says that Leadership is a verb and not a noun, I firmly believe that a good leader is one, who practices what he preaches, is committed and dedicated, and is able to inspire others. Let us all solemnly affirm that we shall work hard together to take St. Joseph’s College further and set higher benchmarks of excellence in every field. They say "Yesterday is history Tomorrow is a mystery but Today is a gift, maybe that is why they call it present" and so I believe that the "Today must be used comprehensively, not wasted carelessly".

I have great admiration and regard for all the students of my college, because right values have been inculcated in them by our dedicated and devoted teachers, which equip them to face the challenges of the future. We all have our dreams and we are aware that it takes an awful lot of determination, self-discipline and sincere efforts to actualize those dreams. Excellence is within our reach if we have the combination of SKILL along with a strong WILL to pursue them and Josephites undoubtedly have this spark in them, the proper and timely igniting of which will propel them to success.

And finally we need to measure our success not in materialistic terms but in terms of how much we give back to the society. I believe, TOGETHER WE CAN and TOGETHER WE SHALL endeavor to rise above mediocrity, and make the flag of SJC fly high and bring glory and honor to name of our College and prove to be worthy citizens of our country.

Siddharth Shekhar Yadav

I believe that we the students of the esteemed institute of St. Joseph’s College, are in that stage of life where we can observe and assess our roles at national and international levels. Our prestigious College has prepared us by sharpening and increasing our potential for such levels, where we can give the world the right direction and do away with poverty, unemployment, hunger, corruption, communalism and bring forth a non-violent and peaceful world family.Our school has made us capable of using our own vision in making the world a better place to live in.

What takes one to great heights is the talent, the special gift of God, which is there within every person. We only need to identify that talent, aim high and strive to achieve our goals with hard work, the right strategy, devotion, integrity and self confidence. The world is waiting for us and we have it in us to deliver the goods.

I, as the College Captain for the session 2012-2013, promise that I will give my best in all the events and activities, to make our College secure the topmost position, holding my office with utmost integrity and sincerity ,thus upholding the motto of our college,

‘Semper Sursum!’

Akshay Mathur

“Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with Vision is making a positive difference.”

My vision for the College in 2011-12 is for the students to set a goal and strive to achieve that goal while remembering that there are many paths to the top of the mountain, but the view is always the same. We recognize that we need a spirit of victory, a spirit that will carry us to our rightful place under the sun, a spirit which will recognize that we, as inheritors of a proud tradition, are entitled to a rightful place on this planet. If that indomitable spirit was to arise and we work as a team, nothing can hold us from achieving our rightful destiny.

I encourage all students to actively participate in the variety of academic, sporting, cultural, social and spiritual activities offered at the college. Do not be afraid to come up and talk to me, the captains, vice captains, prefects or marshals about any issues, problems or questions about the college. After all, we have all been in your position on our journey. We are always friendly and approachable and we are no different to any other senior in the college and are always happy to lend a helping hand.

With the launching of the Franciscan e-Care this prestigious institution will add another milestone towards development and will be able to keep pace the ever improving information technology. I wish to state that “What is not started today is never finished tomorrow.” And that through our past traditions, present direction and future vision, St Joseph’s College will continue to grow as one of the premium education institutions in the years to come.