Never ever give up: Chief of Defence Staff tells youth of India

New Delhi, Jan 13 (PTI) Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Monday urged the youth of India to never ever give up in their journey of life, underlining that “a bend in a road is not the end of the road”.

Addressing a gathering of cadets and officers during his visit to the ongoing National Cadet Corps (NCC) Republic Day Camp at Delhi Cantonment, he also said the country’s youth will contribute towards reaching the goal of becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047 and they will also be the largest beneficiary of it.

General Chauhan said January is a month of festivities and tomorrow is Veterans’ Day followed by the Army Day on January 15.

Then comes the Republic Day on January 26 and immediately next day the prime minister’s rally happens at the NCC R-Day Camp, he said, adding, “this is symbolic of the fact that future of a nation rests with the youth of the country”.

A total of 2,361 NCC cadets from across the country are taking part in the month-long camp, which began on December 30. The annual event is also witnessing the participation of 917 girl cadets, the largest so far.

Out of the total number of cadets, 114 are from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and 178 from the northeast region.

General Chauhan said youths are the microcosm of the society, a demographic truth, a statistical reality.

“The nation desires to be a Viksit Bharat by 2047. The youth of the country will contribute towards reaching that goal and will also be the largest beneficiary of it,” he said.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) said he was sure that “as a nation we will be able to achieve this goal or dream of being a Viksit Bharat by 2047”.

The momentum will take it as the mass exists and the velocity is the vector which coupled with it, will help achieve the target, he added.

General Chauhan said the country’s youth will provide the speed and the direction will be provided by the senior leadership.

The CDS also offered some life lessons to the cadets and through them to the youth of the country.

“Destiny and success is not preordained, you have to work for it. It is often said, destiny is not by chance, it is by choice. And, for success you will have to work hard to achieve it,” he asserted.

“There will be ups and downs in life. So, remember a bend in a road is not the end of the road,” the CDS said.

In his address, he also quoted lines from a poem ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling and recited poetry ‘Koshish Karne Walon ki Haar Nahin Hoti’ by Sohanlal Dwivedi.

“That is the message I want to leave with you, ‘koshish karne walon ki kabhi haar nahin hoti’. So, never, never, ever give up,” the CDS said.

General Chauhan during his visit to the NCC R-Day Camp also visited the ‘flag area’, the NCC Hall of Fame and also interacted with a few cadets before being treated to some colourful cultural performances by groups of cadets from different directorates of the Corps.