Ajit Doval Urges IIT Madras Graduates to Uphold Civilisational Legacy at 62nd Convocation

By A Staff Reporter

Chennai, Tamil Nadu: National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval addressed the 62nd Convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, delivering a speech that emphasised India's historical resilience and the responsibilities of the younger generation as the country approaches a century of independence.

In his remarks to graduating students, Doval reflected on India’s long and tumultuous history, stating, “You belong to a country, to a civilisation which has been beleaguered, bled, dishonoured for thousand years. Our ancestors have suffered a lot... I do not know how much of the humiliation, deprivations, hardships they have undergone to keep the civilisation alive, to keep this notion of the nation alive.”

He distinguished between the concepts of nation and state, asserting that India as a nation has existed for millennia, even if the Indian state, in its current form, is relatively recent. “Nation is different from State. India, as a Nation, had existed for millennia; it may be a new State,” he noted.

Looking to the future, Doval told the graduating class that they would be in the prime of their careers when India completes 100 years of independence in 2047. “You will be at the prime of your careers,” he said, urging them to contribute meaningfully to the country’s development and global standing.