Ajit Doval, the National Security Advisor made a rare appearance to deliver a speech at Madras in gathering of a Convocation. The Indian Institute of Technology Madras on July 11 held its 62nd Convocation. A total of 3,227 students were conferred degrees during the convocation, besides joint, dual degrees and PhDs. Ajit Doval was the guest speaker at the event.
In his talk at the 62nd Convocation of IIT Madras, India’s NSA Ajit Doval emphasized several key points. Beginning with:
“India is progressing rapidly. Next year, we may become one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Institutions are now developing ecosystems, infrastructure, testing equipment, laboratories, and support systems and where they don’t exist, we’ll create them. Your alumni network is a global asset. But don’t just aim for personal comfort abroad—true success lies in what you contribute, not where you live”
Reminder to past 1000 years:
India’s Fortunate Generation [02:28]: He congratulated the graduates, calling them the “most fortunate” generation in India’s history over the last 1000 years, highlighting their unique opportunities.
Contribution Beyond Personal Success [03:55]: Doval challenged the graduates to contribute to society, the country, and civilization, not just focus on personal growth.
The “X Factor” for India’s Future.
He stated that the collective and individual contribution of the youth, their mindset, and their passion will determine India’s future success in the next 22 years.[10:40]
Technological Prowess as a Necessity
Doval stressed the critical importance of technology, stating that India can achieve great things by surpassing technological challenges and producing “technology warriors.” He warned that failure in this area could set the country back for centuries.[11:19]
Critical and Emerging Technologie
He highlighted specific critical areas for technological development,[12:20] including:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) [17:48]: Describing it as a “game-changer” that will transform the world rapidly.
Quantum Computing [19:19]: Emphasizing its potential to revolutionize computing.
Semiconductors [20:06]: Referring to them as the “building blocks of modern technology.”
Space Sciences [20:24]: Acknowledging India’s progress in this sector.
Rare Earths and Advanced Materials [20:50].
Indigenization and Self-Reliance
Doval cited India’s complete indigenization of its 5G communication systems as an example of the country’s capability and the importance of domestically produced technology for national security. [15:06]
The Spirit of Contribution [28:08]: He shared an anecdote about an IITian who, despite being an American citizen, offered to contribute his high-tech expertise to India for free, urging the graduates to adopt this spirit of selfless contribution.
Finding Meaning in Life [32:53]: Drawing from Viktor Frankl’s work, Doval concluded by emphasizing that a life with meaning is essential for survival and success, urging the graduates to find meaning in contributing to the nation’s destiny.
Technological advancement and Babur:
In his speech, India’s NSA Ajit Doval mentioned Babur in the context of technological advancements in warfare [22:24]. He stated that the Mughals, including Babur, introduced gunpowder to India, which significantly changed battles as Indian elephants, unaccustomed to the sound of gunpowder, would reverse direction and trample their own troops [22:30].
Operation Sindoor and Pakistan
Ajit Doval discussed the operation Sindoor where India decided to target nine terrorist locations across Pakistan, emphasizing the precision of the operation and its completion in 23 minutes [23:46]. He also challenged biased foreign press claims of Indian damage, without any satellite imagery showing such damage [24:12]. He then recounted an encounter with an IITian who founded a company providing forecasting models for the American army based on open-source satellite imagery, and who, despite being an American citizen, expressed a desire to contribute his knowledge to India without financial compensation [27:23].
You can watch the full talk here: