Poster on Gokhale - Farewell to Fergusson College

One of Gokhale's remarkable speeches - Farewell to Fergusson College - on September 19, 1902. Here he mentions two important things, which can still guide several individuals and institutions -

The principal moral interest of this institution is in the fact that it represents an idea and embodies an ideal.

The idea is that Indians of the present day can bind themselves together, and putting aside all thoughts of worldly interest, work for a secular purpose with the zeal and enthusiasm which we generally find in the religion alone.

The ideal is the ideal of self-help, that we may learn slowly but steadily to rely less and less upon others, however willing to bear our burdens, and more and more upon ourselves.