Chief Guest LT GEN Sudarshan Hasabnis Investiture Speech | Investiture Ceremony 2026

into my late sixties and therefore >> [cough and clears throat] >> I would like to compliment all the masters of these ceremonies that conducted this ceremony very nicely. As also the fantastic dance troupe that we had on stage. So I'd like to compliment both these from the bottom of my heart. Very well done. >> [applause] >> Thank you very much for a very graceful dance that they presented. Thank you Amrita ma'am for giving me this opportunity today to interact with um the uh esteemed teachers respected teachers parents and uh the leadership of our country in times to come. Uh it's an immense responsibility for me to talk to you today. However, uh if I heard some of you talk today uh of having butterflies in your stomach. It happens to me even today. I have spent a lot of time trying to decide what I need to talk to you >> [clears throat] >> in the 7 minutes that I've been granted. So I have tried to compress it in as little uh words though much of it may seem like a repetition of some things that all of you have spoken. Uh at the outset, let me congratulate each and every one of the senior members and prefect chair and whatever. Let me say it unabashedly that while I was in school, I never made it to any of these types of appointments and would always look up and look with envy at the uh students who could reach, who had the confidence in them to go up on stage and say things and be able to lead. >> [clears throat] >> At the outset, like someone also said from amongst the students, this badge is not a reward. Uh in fact, my uh knowledge about how to wear a sash, I'm sure you people realize, I put them all on the wrong shoulder. You all have been entrusted with responsibility, a position of responsibility. It is not a badge that you should carry [clears throat] as a reward. It is a promise that you are giving or making that you will lead. The finest example of leadership that you see in the army, armed forces as I would like to say, is based on a motto that was spelled out in in recent times, I would like to believe, by General Chetwode. Can we have the next slide, please? And it reads very simply in three phases, three parts. It says the safety, honor, and welfare of your country come first, [clears throat] always and every time. The honor, welfare, and comfort of the men you command come next. And your own ease, comfort, and safety comes last, always and every time. >> [clears throat] >> This is something which is drilled into us officers from day one of our joining our training academies till the last day when we leave on either retirement or some of us who probably are brave enough have wrapped up in the national flag of India. This has been written for military leaders, but I strongly feel it applies across the board to all of us who would like to become leaders. So, I'm sure some of you would like to would wonder if this is talking about nation first, how does it apply to me in the school? Yeah, can you have the next slide? That's just a depiction in another way. Next. So, nation, your school is a microcosm of the nation. Here, you are together as a community, coming from all walks of life, whether it is teachers, whether it is staff, whether it is cleaning staff, whether it is drivers, whether it is you students, all of you coming from all over the country, all walks of life, are a community. Coming from different backgrounds, and you all learn to grow together out here. The values you practice here will shape you as citizens of the future. So, what does saying placing your school first imply? What should it imply to each one of you? And it is not just the students who have been uh named as various heads. Let me also say here, it was very uh good to see >> [snorts] >> much of your, you know, prefecture and senate being led by girl students. In fact, I was so happy to see the >> [applause] >> the force and discipline, faculties which I thought should have been strong points of boys, both captain and vice captains being girls. So, my very [applause] uh deep compliments to the school and to all of you for that. Anyway, coming back to school first. When does When do you say school first? When do What do I mean by saying [clears throat] school first? You are going to place the interests of the school above your own interests. Whether it is by way of not being popular, which is at times more convenient. Whether it is ensuring that the traditions of the school are followed in letter and spirit. Ensuring, and I heard this word repeatedly from each one of you, discipline is not allowed to be broken. And ensuring that every student feels safe and needed in the school, again mentioned by one of you. Very important. When you choose what is the right over what is easy, that is when you're putting your school up front and yourself much lower. That is how you will protect the name of the school. You will project the name of the school. If you today put your school up front, it is but natural because, like I said, it is just a microcosm of the nation. You will put the nation first as you grow in life. Next slide. So, the next uh level in our motto is that you have to place those whom you lead above you in so far as all your welfare and looking after activities are concerned. Your appointment does not make you important. Again, something that was said by the head girl, I think. It's not that you become more important than your fellow students. In fact, it makes you more responsible for them than what you were till yesterday. Again, the word used by one of you was authority. Don't look at what authority you carry with this sash or the badge that you're wearing. In fact, look at how can I help each and every student who's part of my whether it is house, or school, class, whatever. Lead with fairness. Don't be partial to anyone. Be absolutely fair in dealing with each and every student, whether he belongs to your any type of of of, you know, sect of people or not. Appreciate anyone who succeeds. In fact, it It's so often that we land up envying someone else's success. It is only by appreciating success of your juniors that they will grow. And like again, someone said, listen. It's so very important for a leader to be patient and to listen. And when I say listen, must make a difference between listening and hearing. >> [clears throat] >> You must stand up for those who cannot stand for themselves. It's a very very quality for a leader. Let me assure you your class or house students will not follow you because of your badge. They will not respect you for your badge. They will follow you, they will respect you [clears throat] if you show character. In fact, all your classmates will remember you by what you do and not by what you say. And in the end, next slide. Self last basically means leading from the front. The word lead means being in front. I'm not sure if you're aware, but in the army, if you see the casualties that take place in operations, the officer casualties invariably outnumber in proportion the casualties that happen on their troops. It is always because our officers lead. They are there at the most difficult of the situations up front. We in the paratroopers, when you are getting ready to jump out of the aircraft, when you see the earth running below you at about 1,500 ft, it is quite unnerving. And it is always the officer who is standing at the door, seeing this, and the first one to jump out of the aircraft and his men followed. >> [clears throat] >> In fact, leadership is tested when things go wrong. If you can stand up to the wrong, you would have done much better than allowing things to be going unnoticed. A leader must tick off. >> [snorts] >> If you allow things to not be noticed by you, you will be missing out on your duties. So, leadership is tested when things go wrong. It's a very good thing to admit to mistakes. If you make one, if anyone from your subordinates makes one, take the responsibility for that mistake. I can assure you that subordinate will be ever ever at your service for life. Never ever ask your friends to do something which you would not do. In fact, you should be doing things much better than what you ask your your subordinates to do. So, accept responsibility, especially when things are not going right. It is a difficult task, but if you want to be a good leader, it is a task that you must do. So, this badge I would like to come back to say is not a privilege. >> [clears throat] >> It is a responsibility. It is a service. Again, words used by some of you. Discipline is not punishment. Like I said, if you find someone doing something wrong, picking >> [clears throat] >> that person off in ways that don't hurt are very important. But, not picking off is failure of duty. Your juniors are always going to be watching you. So, it is very important that you walk your talk. Don't do anything, like I said, that will uh that you don't expect your juniors to do. In life, from what I gather, your school has produced some outstanding officers in various institutions, whether it is the army or the IAS or in the private sector. Whatever profession you choose, the principles of leadership that you would have imbibed here continue to remain the same. So, when challenges arise, it takes courage to step forward. Show it. I would like to show a slide to you. Next, please. How many of you have heard of Dashrath Manjhi. Yeah. I can see some hands. Very few from the last part. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. This was one man who was not able to carry his wife across one mountain when she was sick and she died in road. So, he took it upon himself to cut a road through that mountain. Single-handedly, he started the work. It took him nearly two decades. Of course, subsequently, as people saw, people joined. Some government agencies also joined later. But, the point to note is not giving up. Don't ever give up on something that is good that you're trying to do. Because that will give you the strength of character which comes from discipline. Next slide. These are three things that I see every day in life in Pune. Everywhere we go, whether it is environment consciousness, whether it is simple traffic rules. In fact, like someone was telling me the other day, in Pune, you drive on what is left of the road. So, it's not a very uh happy thing. At least, we should take pride in doing what is right. We go to any temple, any of our If If you go to your own house, when you go home, as children, do you throw your slippers, chappals, shoes, or do you place them correctly? Simple habits of discipline. Because discipline, to me, is the bedrock of character. >> [clears throat] >> If you leave this school, remember not by the appointment that you held, by but by being a person who was honest, who was fair, who was helpful. >> [snorts] >> That would truly >> [clears throat] >> be a lovely character that you would have built have built and fantastic amount of goodwill that [clears throat] you would carry throughout your life. So, once again, wear your badge with pride, but wear your character with greater pride. Once again, I congratulate each and every ONE OF YOU. >> [applause] >> BE WITH HUMILITY. >> [applause] >> SERVE WITH COURAGE. And remember, the finest leaders are always those who inspire others to become better people. Thank you. Jai Hind. >> [applause]