Those in uniform must uphold public trust: Kiran Bedi

Pune: The greatest responsibility of those in uniform is to uphold public trust, said Kiran Bedi, former lieutenant governor of Puducherry and ex-IPS officer, as she addressed graduating cadets at the convocation ceremony of the 150th course of the NDA on Friday.

“The uniform you wear is a national pride. It is authority, but more importantly, it is responsibility. The trust in the armed forces and police force is earned with fairness, courage, integrity and professionalism daily, especially when the citizens are at the most vulnerable state,” she said.

Drawing from a career of nearly four decades in the Indian Police Service, Bedi said citizens often look at officers in uniform not merely as individuals, but as representatives of the state itself. “Your men and women will not just follow your orders; they will watch you. Leadership is not what you say, it is what you do, consistently,” she said.

Invoking the legacy of military icons such as field marshals Sam Manekshaw and Kodandera M Cariappa, Bedi emphasised the importance of discipline, preparation and selfless service to the nation.

Bedi described leadership as the ability to take responsibility without excuses and stressed that “country first” must remain the guiding principle for every officer. She said national interest and preparedness must remain of paramount importance for security forces while referring to the terror attack in Pahalgam. She thanked parents and families of the graduating cadets for entrusting the nation with their children.

Only the “extraordinary”, she said, make it through the NDA’s highly competitive and physically demanding curriculum. She called cadets “scholar warriors” and praised their balancing skills while juggling between rigorous military training and academic pursuits.

Highlighting the changing nature of warfare, she cautioned that wars are no longer limited to borders. “They are fought in cyber domains, information spaces and strategic decision rooms,” she said, adding that the academy had prepared cadets to anticipate and respond to these evolving threats.

Bedi reminded the graduating cadets that they would occupy key leadership positions when India celebrates 100 years of Independence in 2047. She urged them to become trusted guardians of the nation and protectors of its people.

NDA sheds colonial dress code

The convocation ceremony of the 150th course of the NDA saw a drastic change when professors of the NDA wore Indian coats and shawls during the ceremony. This new dress code replaced the colonial era convocation dress, satin robes and gowns, hoods and mortarboards (caps). There was uniformity in their dress code.

“All the major institutions have stopped this practice as per the directive from the authorities concerned. So, NDA also followed suit,” Ankush Chavan, defence PRO, Pune, told TOI.