Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture: CDS Gen Rawat describes India as fascinating amalgam of many cultures

On the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat on Sunday delivered All India Radio's Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture

New Delhi: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat on Sunday delivered All India Radio's Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture wherein he dwelled on 'the role of Indian Armed Forces in nation building'. Gen Rawat, who is India's first Chief of Defence Staff delivered this lecture as a part of Prasar Bharati's celebrations marking the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on October 31.

As per a press release issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Monday, Gen Rawat, while recounting the country's great history and tracing the genesis of India as a federation of intricately linked smaller kingdoms under the aegis of the Mauryan Empire, mentioned that our nation is a fascinating and complex amalgam of many cultures, 22 scheduled languages, over 200 dialects, a dozen ethnic groups, seven religious communities with several sects and sub-sects and 68 socio-cultural sub-regions.

Gen Rawat emphasised the role of Sardar Patel in envisioning India that is united in diversity, resolute and determined to emerge as a power, capable of rising to any challenge, based on intrinsic strength.

Eloquent in his praise for Sardar Patel's mission and the herculean task of integrating 565 princely states into a sovereign India, Gen Rawat said that the pillars of nation-building could be surmised as security, justice, economic development and democratic polity and acknowledged the tireless efforts of Sardar Patel in assembling a consensus with the princely states while judiciously employing stratagem prevalent since the age of Chanakya.

He highlighted that in consonance with the Bhagwad Gita which says, "Considering your own duty, you should not waiver", all cadets of Indian Military Academy, before the conclusion of their training, pledge allegiance to the oath that emphasises that the safety, honour and welfare of the nation is sacrosanct, followed by the honour, welfare and comfort of the men under command whereas individual ease, comfort and safety comes last, always and every time at the moment of reckoning.

Gen Rawat asserted that inculcation of secularism, discipline, integrity, loyalty, espirit-de-corps along with the novel concept of loyalty to the constitutionally elected government has made the Indian armed forces contribute to the political stability of the nation.

"The laudatory contribution of BRO (Border Roads Organisation), NCC (National Cadet Corps) coupled with the succour and relief brought by armed forces during man-made or natural disasters have been sterling examples of its resolute service to the nation," he stated.

"The deployment of the armed forces in the remote areas through cantonments and military stations in inaccessible areas have contributed to the local economy through developmental projects. The contribution of Indian armed forces to UN peace-keeping missions since the mid-50s till date and defence cooperation offered by India in the present world has emerged as an important diplomatic endeavour," he added.

The Chief of Defence Staff concluded the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture-2021 by reiterating that India's unity in diversity shall remain intact due to the virtues of sacrifice, loyalty and discipline of the Indian Armed forces.

Sardar Patel Memorial Lectures since 1955 are an annual feature organised by All India Radio commemorating the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhhai Patel, known as the "Iron Man of India". Sardar Patel, one of the key integrating forces of the nascent nation and an integral part of India's independence movement was also free India's first Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

(ANI)