‘Bharat is not a geography, it is responsibility’: CDS General Subramani tells IIT Roorkee students

Subramani, the guest of honour at the ceremony, spoke about the rapidly changing global landscape and the challenges and opportunities it presents.

Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani addressed graduating students at IIT Roorkee’s two-day convocation on Saturday, where 2,701 students were awarded degrees.

Subramani, the guest of honour at the ceremony, spoke about the rapidly changing global landscape and the challenges and opportunities it presents for young engineers and technologists.

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Subramani's message to students

Addressing the graduating students, General Subramani described the changing global environment through the acronym ‘DHARA’ and said that it stands for ‘Disruptive, Hyperconnectedness, Asymmetry, Realignment and Autonomy’.

"I will speak about Bharat a little later, but before that I want to speak about the changing world and I will give you an acronym for that. That is 'DHARA,' denoting Disruptive, Hyperconnectedness, Asymmetry, Realignment and Autonomy," he said.

Elaborating on the first two elements, General Subramani said the pace of technological change was making it essential for young engineers and technologists to continually update their skills. He also pointed to the vulnerabilities created by increasing interdependence between different systems, saying graduates would have an important role in building resilient technologies.

“The world is undergoing enormous disruption; technology is changing faster than we can catch up. You, as graduates, will have to learn, unlearn, relearn and adapt and be curious throughout if you want to keep up with the changing world... We are hyperconnected not only in WhatsApp and social media but also in our financial systems, airlines, networks, and energy systems. This interconnectedness also carries vulnerability with it. You, as the future engineers and technologists, need to develop systems which have resilience...”

He added, "Bharat is not a geography. It is a responsibility which generations before you have carried, and you will carry as you navigate this world."

A total of 2,701 students were awarded degrees during the convocation, with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval attending as the chief guest and General Subramani as the guest of honour.

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NSA Ajit Doval also attends event

Doval, who attended the ceremony as the chief guest, told the graduating students that they were entering an era of unprecedented opportunities. He described them as the “luckiest generation in a millennium” and spoke about the transformation of society from earlier periods marked by struggle and constraints.

"You may not be conscious of the fact that, in the last 1,000 years, you are the luckiest generation, which is going to have so many opportunities. Generations before you were struggling under slavery. And not only that, things have changed here, but globally too. Things have changed for the better for you,” Doval said.

Doval also shared an account from his early years in the intelligence service, recounting a high-stakes border mission during Sikkim's merger with India.

Senior advocate Harish Salve and IIT Roorkee Director KK Pant were also present at the convocation ceremony.

Priyanjali Narayan is a journalist with Hindustan Times based in New Delhi. She has over two years of experience covering national and international affairs, reporting on breaking news, producing in-depth explainers, and writing feature stories. Her work explores the political, social, and cultural dimensions of major events, with a focus on providing clear, nuanced, and accessible journalism for a broad audience.Before joining Hindustan Times, she was part of the India Today newsroom, where she specialised in explanatory journalism. There, she wrote detailed analyses of major domestic and international issues and produced feature stories that included interviews with prominent public figures. The role strengthened her ability to combine speed with depth in a fast-paced news environment.She holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in History from the University of Delhi. Her academic training continues to shape her storytelling, grounding her work in historical context and research-driven insight.Outside the newsroom, she enjoys reading personal essays and fiction, and is often planning her next trip, always seeking stories that deepen her understanding of people and places.Read More