Addressing the officer trainees, the President said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s words echoed in his memory as he addressed them. In April 1947, Sardar Patel I.A.S. While meeting a batch of trainees, he said, “We should expect and have the right to expect the best from every civil servant, irrespective of the position of responsibility he holds. The President said that today we can proudly say that the public servants have lived up to these expectations.
The President said that the basic mantra of this foundation course is “Not me, we are”. He expressed confidence that the officer trainees of this course will shoulder the responsibility of taking the country forward with a collective spirit. He said that many of them would run the administration of a large part of the country for the coming 10-15 years and connect with the people. They can give a concrete shape to the India of their dreams.
Referring to the academy’s motto ‘Sheelam Param Bhushanam’, which means ‘character is the highest virtue’, the President said that the method of training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration is based on the principle of Karma-Yoga, in which character has great importance. He advised that the trainee officers should be sensitive towards the underprivileged section of the society. He said that ‘Anonymity’, ‘Competence’ and ‘Self-restraint’ are the ornaments of a civil servant. These qualities will give him confidence throughout his service life.
The President said that the values learned by the officer trainees during their training should not be confined to theoretical confines. While working for the people of the country, he will have to face many challenges and difficulties. In such a situation, they have to work with full confidence by following these values. It is their constitutional duty as well as moral responsibility to lead India on the path of progress and development and pave the way for the upliftment of the people of the country.
The President said that any work for the benefit of the society can be accomplished efficiently only when all the stakeholders are taken along. When the officers take decisions keeping in mind the marginalized and deprived sections of the society, then surely they will be successful in achieving their goals.
The President said that good governance is the need of the hour. Lack of good governance is the root of many of our social and economic problems. To understand the problems of the people, it is necessary to connect with the common people. He advised the trainee officers to be humble in connecting with the people. He said that only then he would be able to interact with them and understand their needs and work for their betterment. You also have the responsibility of ensuring that the benefits of government schemes reach every needy person.
Referring to global warming and climate change, the President said that the whole world is grappling with these issues. There is an urgent need to take effective steps to solve these problems. He expected the officers to be helpful in fully implementing the steps taken by the Government of India for environment protection to save the future.
The President said that the officers of the 97th Common Foundation Course are entering the civil services in the golden age of India’s independence. In the next 25 years, he will play a key role in policy-making and its implementation for the all-round development of the country. In this regard, the President referred to the ‘Walk Way of Service’ inaugurated at the academy today and said that while every year, the nation-building goals set by the officer trainees would be kept in a time capsule, the President expected the officer trainees to Always remember the goals you set and be dedicated to achieve them. He said that when he opens the time capsule in the year 2047, he will be proud and satisfied to have accomplished his goal.
Expressing happiness over the inclusion of 133 daughters in this batch of officer trainees, the President said that the contribution of both men and women is important for the all-round development of our country. He especially appealed to the daughters that wherever he was during his service, he should keep encouraging the girls to pursue them. When our daughters will come forward in various fields, then our country and society will become strong.
The President lauded the past and present officers of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration for their great dedication and hard work in molding the country’s brightest minds into capable civil servants. He expressed confidence that the Academy’s facilities inaugurated today including the new Hostel Block and Mess, Arena Polo Field will benefit the Officer Trainees. He said that the “Parvatmala Himalayan & North East Outdoor Learning Arena”, the construction of which has started today, will act as a knowledge base for civil servants and trainees about the Himalayas and the North East region of India. On this occasion, the President also honored the trainee officers with commendable and better work behavior during the training.
