Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan on Thursday, 20 August called upon young Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers to anchor their careers in character and integrity, asserting that true leadership is not a function of power but of the capacity to act ethically under pressure. He was addressing the valedictory ceremony of the Phase-II training of IAS Officer Trainees of the 2024 batch at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie.

The Core Message: Ethics Over Authority

Radhakrishnan framed public service not as an exercise in institutional authority but as a moral commitment to citizens. He urged the officer trainees to make their service meaningful by actively transforming lives at the grassroots level, emphasising that every grievance must be heard and every citizen empowered.

Situating his address within the national vision of 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047', he stressed that development must reach the last mile — a recurring challenge for India's administrative machinery despite decades of policy intent.

Embrace Technology, Build Teams

The Vice-President called on the new batch to integrate emerging technologies — including Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, and Blockchain — into governance to improve efficiency, transparency, and citizen service delivery. He described technological fluency not as optional but as a professional imperative for the modern civil servant.

He also underscored the importance of collective performance over individual achievement, urging officers to build cohesive teams, motivate colleagues, and carry forward good practices established by predecessors. Continuous learning and adaptability, he said, were non-negotiable traits for officers who must remain future-ready.

Recognising Civil Services' Role

Congratulating the trainees on completing their Phase-II training, Radhakrishnan acknowledged the historic contribution of the civil services to India's development, describing the IAS as a vital bridge between policy formulation and its implementation at the ground level. He also paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri during his visit to the Academy.

Who Was Present

The event was attended by Uttarakhand Governor Lieutenant General (Retd.) Gurmit Singh, Uttarakhand Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Ganesh Joshi, and LBSNAA Director B. Rajender. The valedictory marked the concluding day of the Vice-President's two-day visit to Uttarakhand.

First Day: Interaction with Forest Service Probationers

On Wednesday, 19 August, the first day of his state visit, Radhakrishnan visited the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA) in Dehradun, where he interacted with Indian Forest Service (IFS) probationers of the 2025–27 batch. The back-to-back engagements at two premier training institutions reflect a broader effort by the Vice-President's office to directly engage with India's incoming administrative and forestry cadres.

As the 2024 batch IAS officers prepare to take up field postings, the emphasis on ethical leadership and technology adoption signals the governance priorities that the Centre expects them to carry into districts and departments across the country.