Text of the Vice-President’s address to the IFS probationers at Parliament House, New Delhi

Very Good afternoon, and for me a big change, Parliament is in session, it will be my productive moment. 

Distinguished guests and my dear emerging officials, I particularly greet two of our friends from our neighbouring country, Bhutan, and I'm sure they'll carry fond memories, and the rest of you will have the occasion to go to that country sometime in your life and I'm sure they'll carry a message of goodwill of the largest democracy on the planet and that we believe in neighbourhood first concept, both in thought as also in action. 

I'm enlightened, and I'm sure all of you would have had great exposure of this country, unique on the planet, home to one-sixth of humanity and look at diversity converging into unity all over. If you have traversed the land of this country, the holy land, the spiritual centre of the world, you would have really found spectacular situations, resplendent nature, a rewarding experience for your senses but in the process, a thought would have occurred to you that you, in a sense, are custodians of it now. 

Let me first advert the greatest challenge the planet faces, the existential challenge. Boys and girls, we don't have another planet to cohabit. Therefore, you realise that we nurture the planet, we repair the planet of the damage we have done out of our greed or reckless approach. You therefore will be seriously concerned with this very important aspect. 

Let me just indicate one small step taken by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ This is a twin object. 

• One, to remind every citizen of this country that this is so significant for our survival. And;

• Secondly, it gives the citizen the power, when all of them get together to do this, it becomes a moment, Jan Andolan. 

 

I can assure you this is picking up very fast but your job all throughout will be much more. You will be dealing with situations of human resource, that human resource who sustains and gets sustenance from the forest. You will have to be uniquely positioned, you will have to have a soothing response to them. There can't be reaction to them, you have to hand over them. 

Coercive mechanism or innovative approach must be ruled out. You will have power in your hands but then in dealing with those who connect with the forest and forest produce is organic, you have to be responsive from that perspective. 

Those who are connected to forest, our tribal people in particular, are extremely committed to nature. They're committed to their traditions. In your job, always have empathy for them and second, you will have to involve yourself, not limited to your formal job. In the process, you will be really much wiser than others about the importance of forest, nurturing of forest. What forest cover means, What forest coverage means to climate, to have sustainable development. Most importantly, the almighty has created this planet, not exclusively for mankind. It is for all living beings. You will be exposed to them.

Therefore all the more important that we act in a manner that our friends beyond mankind, but our only planet, need to be taken care of with empathy, care and that is why you would have seen that to the posterity, we are obligated to ensure there is no extinction of this species of living beings. The recent steps taken under the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister about tigers, we are fully aware and we are making good headway in that direction. 

Therefore, you have to keep in mind one thing. You are joining this elite service. It is one of the three national services and in my estimate and assessment, it is the most important because it has a productive angle much beyond the other two services. Your presence can be highly impactful the moment you put yourself in that grove for that, you have to focus on our civilisational roots, our ethos, our Vedas, Purans, Upanishads and you would find we have worshipped nature. We have had real relationship with the wildlife. In every period you would find our religious functions, all are in celebratory mode when it comes to paying tribute either to Mother Nature or to the wildlife. You would primarily also be ambassadors of tourism.

You would have seen people flock to places that are your domain. Now you can do wonders, make it more informative. Even now friends, I find India that nature has gifted India bountifully, all parts of it but there is lack of awareness. I had the occasion both in this position as also Governor of State of West Bengal to travel to Northeast. One has to see, to believe what I saw. Therefore, you are obvious, natural, organic ambassadors of tourism in this country and for that, you have to disseminate the rich wildlife we have, flora and fauna we have and secondly, we have to develop a national mindset beyond the forest, beyond the forest covered area, coverage area, to nursery plantations. Because they make a big difference. You would have seen and you would be closely associated with the ministry. Whenever development takes place and there is out of necessity or compulsion for development requirements, that part of the forest land has to be converted. There has to be compensatory afforestation but that compensatory afforestation must be authentic, must be genuine and that is you have to ensure.

Most people in the country confuse afforestation with plantation, you know the two are qualitatively very different. Each of you belongs to an area and most of you I take must be from rural India that is where India's heart lies. You will find all around, particularly in villages, there is hardly focus on this aspect. 

My heart pains and I am deeply concerned at what the farmer can possibly do. It depends on a mandi to get nimbu or small things which can easily be there in the backyard or in the front space. So you have to generate some kind of a narrative, that yes, you can do it. It is rewarding experience. That is also one of the jobs you should be doing because your job is twofold- 

• One, the obligations you have to discharge as members of the service. 

• Second is the obligation to give back to the society, so from that perspective, beyond your official work, you still have great potential.

And if that is exploited in the right direction, it will be rewarding for the society at large. Secondly, by getting into this grove, by getting into this service, through one of the very tough competitive examinations, you are a natural role model for the youth. 

Youth will look up to you, you would have seen the reaction of the neighbour for your parents when for the first time you came into the service. The mindset changed immediately, your power in this service is defined by the difference you have made for your parents.

The sparkle in their eyes, the respect they elicited from neighbours which means you have to set very high executing standards. There may be occasions in your life to compromise. There may be occasions to yield because you will find with respect to wildlife and forest produce, many extra legal activities take place. Some people in an uncouth manner, ignoring what is good for the humanity, find one way or the other to monetise it for personal gain. That would be a challenge to you. 

I would therefore strongly urge that you must keep in touch with each other. Share your experiences, get guidance from your seniors but be on a path of rectitude, be on a path of devotion to duty. I can assure you, young friends, life is happy for you if you believe in your position. Materialism does not define happiness. There may be many in the society who at your age may be getting more but उनके रिश्ते आपकी तरह नहीं आते हैं ना? The moment you got in service, a challenge to your parents for both boys and girls, respective matchmaking.

नाना की आवश्यकता पड़ गई, नानी की आवश्यकता पड़ गई, दादा की पड़ गई, चाचा की पड़ गई। हुआ ना ऐसा? This is a big difference. Keep in mind one thing fundamentally and that is, you are living in Bharat at a time when we are defining global progress. It wasn't during our time or the time of the people sitting here. I'm a little older to them, we never had this kind of situation in the country or while we were your age. You are in a Bharat at a time when the entire ecosystem is of hope and possibility. I would not direct much on this because you know it.

Our exponential economic rise, growth in infrastructure, and what all is being done for the youth. Each one of you, or two young people you come across, to tell them that opportunity basket is really ballooning for them and for you in particular, your job will not end at superannuation, I can assure you.

Environment and forestry are something which require a lifelong mission, a passion and further, while being engaged in your professional activities, those of you who believe in photography, you will get an opportunity unrivalled, others will have to work for that opportunity, it will come your way. 

In state of West Bengal, I came to know one official from your tribe, and from Rajasthan. What a great photographer he emerged. Such a soothing experience then you will come to know how nature gives us happiness. That bliss which materialism can never substitute. You will get that occasion. You will have the occasion to read from a historical perspective. 

Jim Corbett, a park is named after him. When you read his book, to summarise, it may be two pages but when you read, every moment is full of life. I have watched, friends, and you will see it from close quarters in real life. When a tiger and a lion in a forest goes for the kill, you will find the homework done. These powerful animals would get as close to the ground as possible. You would have seen it. They will hold their breath, they will be mentally strategic. Only when their object is within their reach, they pounce so nature will be a great educator for you in every walk of life.

It is from that perspective that you can also do wonders by taking to writing. Writing these days has taken a different form, any format. Your experiences. And secondly, when it comes to resolution of human misery, and if you go to our Vedas, the Atharva Vedas in particular, that primarily focuses on health. It is encyclopaedic as a matter of fact but all that comes from the jungle. You will find that what a resource it is for humanity to contain its problems, find solutions.

These are the issues you will have to look for. There will hardly be a moment which will not be exciting for you because to be in touch with nature is a good gift. Wherever you will be staying, I exclude the metros beyond the metros, your life will be very different. 

I therefore appeal to you, let your energy be diverted also to extracurricular activities, to writing, to hobby, to learn more about medicinal plants, to learn about what is available in the forest that can be really a beginning point or can catalyse a research. Develop innovation. These are the issues you all will have to address.

Right now the global consciousness is there and India in particular has taken a great call. Paris Declaration, you would have known about it. India has taken it very seriously. We have set a target for ourselves by 2070. We will have a different kind of mechanism ahead of other countries in the world but these are the actions required for the entire humanity to be in togetherness. 

Most importantly, environment is very important, environment is productive, environment is soothing, environment is illuminating and if the environment is disturbed, then things go wrong. Therefore, I grab this occasion. I reflect and appeal to all political parties that we must keep environment in our temples of democracy. In theatres of parliament, legislatures, soothing, people friendly, people centric.

People in the country are deeply hurt when these platforms of democracy, the most elevated platforms, the people worship these platforms. People work very hard during elections to choose their representatives. They do it with a dream, with an object that these people will deliver for us our aspirations will help realise our ambitions by engaging in policymaking. If these temples are disturbed, disrupted, there's no dialogue, no discussion, then I can say it is antithetical to our national value system. It is not in consonance with democratic values and surely it does not contribute to national growth. 

I therefore appeal from this platform to all political parties in the country that we have entered the last quarter of the century of adoption of the Indian Constitution. We just have had Amrit Kaal, we are on the way to becoming a Viksit Bharat at 2047. The entire nation is galvanised to contribute for that big achievement. The challenge is absolutely daunting but reachable. 

True, at the moment we are the fifth largest global economy on the way to becoming third, ahead of Japan and Germany but you know, as discerning minds, young minds, impressionable minds, part of Indian bureaucracy, we have to increase our income eightfold. Therefore, it is required of every parliamentarian to play with the straight bat, to play for the people, to work for realisation of their dreams and aspirations, and play on front foot. If we start looking through political prism, issues of national security or development, we are not true to our oath of the Constitution. It requires all of us to have a steadfast commitment to nationalism. We have to keep national interest always first. 

Parliamentarians are expected to demonstrate by conduct in exemplary fashion that is worth emulation by others. I have no doubt if parliament does not become a nerve centre of dialogue, debate and discussion, if issues of the people are not adverted in parliament, because that is the call of environment in democracy, then parliament will slide into irrelevance. If parliament slides into irrelevance, we will have serious threat to our democratic values. They are required to be nurtured. 

If we look back, India is a country unique, you will not find another country with a parallel 5,000 years of civilisation ethos. Look at the kind of knowledge house we are, look at our background which is so illustrious. We are at the moment on a track to regain it, we are regaining our past and from that perspective, without taking long, I expect all of you to give your very best, to give your very best in earnestness, with passion, with a mission to make the nation great and that every moment you spend beyond your office hours should also be devoted for the nation. I am sure, while we may not be around to see the rise of India to that level, when India becomes a hundred-year-old democracy, celebrates, as a matter of fact, we were a democracy much earlier. 1947 independence is not defining India, Bharat has roots much beyond 1947, much earlier, thousands of years earlier.

But when centennial celebrations take place in 2047, the world accolades Bharat then, as it is doing now also, as a superpower because if Bharat is a superpower, it is good for the planet, good for humanity, good for one and all. I wish you in your career a great success.

And I have no doubt you will keep in mind, of the three All India services, in my assessment, yours is ahead of the two. You only have to realise it, every moment in your life you will feel it.

 

Thank you so much.