Beginning with a shloka invoking Lord Ganesh and ending with a stanza from Bhagvad Gita, Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian addressed the officer trainees of the 94th foundation course for AIS and CCS officers in the city on Monday.
“You should be focussed on the goal the way Arjuna was focused on the eye. If you focus on money, it shows a poverty of ambition. It is too easy to lose focus on the services. I believe success tests a person’s character as nothing else can,” he said in his 48-minute address at the MCR HRD Institute. In the course of his speech Mr. Subramanian quoted from spiritual books to economic theories like Charaka Samhita, Vedanta, Bhaja Govindam, Sushruta Samhita, Vipassana and the doctrine of pious obligation.
“I have a theory about success. The probability of success is higher if the number of attempts you make is higher. More attempts you make, the chances of success will be higher. You may have no control over success but you do have control over the attempts you make,” said Mr. Subramanian, prodding the trainees to make every effort possible to help others in the society.
Earlier, after administering the oath, B.P Acharya of MCR HRD Institute asked the 140 officer trainees to hear the voice of their conscience in everything they do in the course of their service. “Speak your mind. In his speech on October 1949, Sardar Patel had said that his secretary had a right to disagree with him,” said Mr. Acharya, quoting Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s October 10, 1949 speech. Mr. Patel had defended the inclusion of Article 283-A which gave constitutional guarantees to the terms and privileges granted to ICS officers opting for service in Independent India.
The 15-week course that runs till December 6, includes a visit to the Sardar Patel’s statue on the banks of the Narmada River.
