Lieutenant geneal (retd) Ravi Kumar Sawhney who retired from the post of the deputy chief of the army staff said that Indian leadership must have self confidence as was shown by the 19th century patriotic monk Swami Vivekananda.
While presiding over a function held by Sanskar Bharti and Ramkrishna Sewashram Samiti, he exhorted the school children to develop self confidence and follow powerful words of Vivekananda.
A symposium was organised to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Chicago address in Awdhoot Mandal Ashram.
Sharing his experience as he was involved in conceptual development of strategies being the director of Military Intelligence, Sawhney said that for a country to win, ‘atma vishwas’ was a must in political leadership.
He said that in 1962, he felt it missing in Indian leadership when Chinese troops had reached from Tafang to NEFA in present day Arunachal Pradesh, there was no preparation on military equipment or transport.
This was why the country faced humiliating defeat. “In 1999, during the Kargil operation, I felt, not even once there was a worrying frown Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s face. The same I felt in operational room while speaking to Narendra Modi as Prime Minister. The country needs leadership like that of Modi to continue to be safe.”
Presiding as guest of honour Swami Jankeeshanand from Ramakrishna Mission Sewashram said, “Hundred twenty five years have been passed since the famous Chicago address was delivered but it continues to enthuse the people across the world.” Swami Rupendra Prakash of Awdhoot Mandal Ashram greeted the students who had scored well in quiz contest held by the Sewa Samiti based on the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda. Seventy students from 10 schools had participated in the quiz organised by the organisation.
Students of Lord Krishna Public School, Roorkee led by Raj Kumar Upadhyay read the Chicago address given on September 11, 1893 by Vivekananda at the Parliament of World Religions in English and Hindi. State head of RSS, High Court advocate Gajendra Singh Sandhu and former State Information Commissioner Vinod Nautiyal said that dharma made people strong and any dharma which weakened the masses must not be accepted. A stage play by theatre artistes of Sanskar Bharti led by Narendra Ahuja on life of Vivekananda was also appreciated by the audience.
