Our Students Are Our Future, Protect Their Dreams: Irfan Pathan

Mumbai: Former cricketer Irfan Pathan spoke about the nationwide protests regarding NEET papers leak. In a post on X, he expressed his solidarity with the protesting students. “Every student has been working for years for a better future, and their families are making sacrifices on this path. No paper leak should be allowed to destroy this hope. I have full faith that our country and the authorities will give everyone a fair chance. I also hope that every possible step will be taken to ensure that this never happens again. Our students are our future, protect their dreams,” he wrote. Earlier, the legendary Sachin Tendulkar had appealed to the society to support honesty, hard work and merit amid the ongoing protests.

Recalling his father’s lesson that “Failure is okay, cheating is not”, in a post on He called on parents, teachers, schools, administrators and society to create an environment where honesty is encouraged, merit is rewarded and young people are motivated to follow their desires. “My father was a professor. He was a mentor and guide to many young students. One of the lessons he instilled early on was: ‘Failure is okay, cheating is not. Never take shortcuts.’ As adults in society, we have a responsibility to shape the culture. A society that prioritizes results over effort will seek shortcuts rather than meritocracy. Today, it is understandable that students are disappointed that they are not getting rewarded for their hard work,” Tendulkar said. “We must all work together to ensure that they never feel like this again. Young India is full of dreams and energy. They are the fuel of our success. As a society, we all have a huge responsibility and different roles to play in ensuring that our young people remain encouraged and energetic, including parents, teachers, friends, relatives, schools and administrators,” he added.

Calling for a culture that rewards hard work, encourages honesty and ensures recognition of merit, Tendulkar expressed confidence in finding solutions to secure the future and aspirations of young people. “We must create a culture where hard work is rewarded, honesty is encouraged and merit wins. I am sure we will all find solutions that will strengthen our children’s future and secure their aspirations. Jai Hind!”