Sanjeev Chopra, Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie inaugurated the Special Foundation Course for All India Services and Central Civil Services Officers, being conducted by Dr MCR HRD Institute, Telangana.

After administering the oath of allegiance to the Constitution of India to the officer trainees, Chopra paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel -- the first Home Minister of Independent India, who is (for civil servants) referred to as the ‘steel frame of India’. He then called upon officers to contribute their best efforts to making an India that is Atma Nirbhar (self-reliant).

“While political leadership will set the broad contours, the civil servants have a substantial role to play in delivering good governance and thereby bringing about qualitative change in the lives of all sections of people, especially their weaker counterparts,” Chopra stated.

He said officers should be fully be committed to the Constitution and also develop professional approach, devoid of any leanings, in dealing with different stakeholders, including the political leadership.

Chopra called upon the trainees to use emerging technologies to understand the problems of people in their true and total frame of reference and find enduring solution to them.

Syed Akbaruddin (India’s former Permanent Representative at the United Nations) who was the chief guest, said that the environment in which the civil servants work has been undergoing mind-boggling changes. Considering this, he told them to make a deliberate attempt to anticipate change in advance, and make a systematic effort to respond to it in a professional, rather than random, fashion.

“Out of the box and innovative thinking is the best approach to manage change effectively in the present-day world of work,” Akbaruddin said.

Harpreet Singh, DG of the Institute, said while civil servants are the best and the brightest as individuals, the transformed scenario requires them to be better team players and transformational leaders. “Even though the trainees civil servants represent a highly diverse group, extensive interaction among them, throughout the duration of the Foundation Course, will not only enrich their people-related skills but will also enable them to develop an all-India perspective,” Singh said.

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