Navy chief gives 'ABCD' mantra of life at NCC R-Day camp

New Delhi: Offering an "ABCD" mantra of life, Indian Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Monday said there was a lot of expectation from the country's youth, especially with India moving forward in a quest to acquire its manifest destiny of becoming a great power.

Addressing a ceremony at the Republic Day NCC Camp, he praised the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and said it had gone from strength to strength while "immensely contributing" to the nation since its 1948 inception.

He peppered his speech with quotes of Swami Vivekananda, cited famous lines from Bollywood films, and ended it with a poem by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to motivate the youth to dream big and work hard to achieve their goals.

"There are a lot of expectations from you, especially when the country moves in its quest towards acquiring its manifest destiny, to be a great power, to be a 'Viksit Bharat' when people from other countries would like like stay, study here and be a part of India's growth," Admiral Tripathi said.

"A word of advice, especially because you all are students, I would like to highlight four tenets of life which I would like you to imbibe -- I call them the 'ABCD' of life," he said.

The "A" stands for "attitude and aptitude", Admiral Tripathi said. "So, have a positive attitude in life, and there should be no room for negativity." "And, you should have an aptitude to improve yourself, to do well and to contribute to a larger cause, and 'an aptitude to never give up'," he added.

The "B" stands for "believing in yourself", Admiral Tripathi further said.

"So, believe in your capabilities so that you can achieve anything in life, don't get bottled up by your present state, social and financial status of your parents or guardians, believe in your hard work," he added.

Even when there are adverse circumstances, soldier on, the Navy chief urged the youngsters. "...Remember what the character of Shah Rukh Khan said in his movie -- 'Picture abhi baki hai mere dost'." The "C" signifies "character and commitment", he said and added because "character is what you do when nobody is watching you, what you do with your team your subordinates, how you deal with your peers, how you deal with someone who can do nothing for you, the admiral told the gathering of cadets and officers".

"And, commitment requires a lot of sacrifices, staying focused on what you are committed to," he said.

According to Admiral Tripathi's "ABCD" of life, the "D" stands for discipline. "How much self-discipline and determined outlook one possesses will decide your outcome in life." He urged the youngsters to practise self-discipline, differentiate between urgent and important, stay focused, and be ready to make sacrifices in both personal and professional lives to reach the goals.

The Navy chief was treated to cultural performances by the cadets, who showcased India's rich culture with a social message.

"I once again congratulate you on your excellent performance... I look forward to seeing you at the Navy House (on Monday)... and even more, to see some of you in the whites (naval uniform) in the years ahead," Admiral Tripathi said.

A total of 2,361 NCC cadets from around the country are taking part in the month-long Republic Day camp, which began on December 30, and will culminate with the PM Rally on January 27.

The annual event is also witnessing the participation of 917 girl cadets, the largest contingent so far.