March 7

The National Defence College (NDC), New Delhi is a premier institute on the highest seat of strategic learning of the country. The prestigious and much sought-after Course at this college provides a trans-disciplinary and comprehensive approach to all aspects of national security and strategy. Each course comprises of a hundred one-star rank and equivalent from the Indian Armed Forces, Civil Service and also officers from friendly foreign countries.

The one-year course also enables the officers to qualify for a M Phil degree in Defence and Strategic Studies from the prestigious University of Madras, Chennai. Sixty graduates of the 58th NDC Course (2018 Batch) were awarded the degrees in an impressive convocation ceremony held at the college today.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, as the Chief Guest for the occasion, delivered the valedictory address while awarding the parchments to the officers in the presence of Commandant NDC Air Marshal D Choudhury and Prof (Dr) Utham Kumar Jamadhagni, HOD (Department of Defence Strategic Studies) University of Madras. In his address, Raksha Mantri congratulated the Commandant and Staff of the National Defence College on completing sixty years of dedicated service to the nation. He appreciated that the college has consistently produced strategic leaders & practitioners and many alumni have risen to occupy high positions and even Heads of their respective countries and their Armed Forces, such as Lt Gen Frederick William Kwasi Akuffo, former Head of the State of Ghana, Lt Gen Hussein Muhammad Ershad, the former President of Bangladesh and His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk, the King of Bhutan. Some of the prominent Indian alumni are Shri Ajit Doval, General Bipin Rawat and Shri Lavasa to name a few.

Shri Rajnath Singh said, in today’s dynamic security environment, we need to be prepared to deal with not only the traditional threat but also the new non-traditional threat to our Nation’s Security. While congratulating the recipients of the M. Phil degree he had no doubt that having under gone this course they would be well equipped to not only handle all challenges of the future but also enable all elements of state power to synergies and work together.  

In his welcome address, Air Marshal D Choudhury asserted that on completion of the NDC course, the graduates actually adopt a multi-disciplinary and out-of-the-box approach to national issues, both in policy matter as well as its execution in a comprehensive manner, something that Kautilya thought almost 2,000 years ago. He also reiterated that with a greater understanding of comprehensive national power and the role it plays in nation building, they would be able to contribute and make a difference. The Commandant also expressed his gratitude to Raksha Mantri for honouring the National Defence College and the degree recipients with his presence.