National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval described the graduating students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee as the “luckiest generation” in a millennium, highlighting the unprecedented opportunities created by technological advancement and global transformation.
Doval made the remarks while attending IIT Roorkee’s two-day convocation as the chief guest on Saturday. A total of 2,701 students are being awarded degrees during the ceremony, with Chief of Defence Staff General N.S. Raja Subramani attending as the guest of honour.
Doval Highlights Technology-Driven Opportunities
Addressing the graduating students, Doval said they were entering a period in which technology would play an increasingly central role in economic and social development.
He said the current generation has access to opportunities that were unavailable to many earlier generations. According to Doval, technological progress and broader changes in India and around the world have significantly expanded the possibilities available to young people.
“You may not be conscious of the fact that, in the last 1,000 years, you are the luckiest generation,” Doval told the graduates, according to reports of his address. He also emphasised that technology would be among the most important drivers of growth and progress for countries and societies.
His message placed particular emphasis on the responsibility accompanying these opportunities. As graduates move into professional careers, the rapid evolution of technology is expected to reshape industries, employment and the wider global environment.
NSA Recalls High-Stakes Early Career Mission
Doval also reflected on a difficult episode from his early career in intelligence, recalling his posting in Sikkim when he was a young IPS officer.
He said his responsibilities included intelligence gathering in border areas and monitoring activities and movements linked to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. During that period, an intelligence team sent on a border mission failed to return within the expected timeframe.
According to Doval’s account, several days passed without information about the team. The situation became increasingly concerning because there was no immediate indication of an accident or other explanation for their absence.
Doval said he subsequently received a call from his headquarters informing him that the personnel had been captured and interrogated by Chinese forces. The team was eventually returned following talks or negotiations.
‘I Thought My Career Was Over’
The incident also became a major professional challenge for Doval. He recalled that an inquiry was initiated after the team returned and said he initially feared that the episode would bring his career to an end.
Doval said the inquiry ultimately did not find him responsible. He attributed the incident to defects and mistakes in sketches and maps supplied by headquarters.
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The episode, he suggested, demonstrated how professional setbacks can create uncertainty even when circumstances are beyond an individual’s control. His recollection offered the graduates an example of dealing with difficult situations while continuing to move forward.
During his address, Doval also acknowledged the long-standing legacy of IIT Roorkee and expressed appreciation for the institution’s faculty members and the parents who supported the students throughout their academic journeys.
The convocation brought together graduating students, academic leaders and senior officials for the two-day ceremony. IIT Roorkee Director K.K. Pant was also present, along with senior advocate Harish Salve.
Harish Salve Warns Against Taking Freedom for Granted
Senior advocate Harish Salve, who also addressed the graduates, spoke about changes in the international environment and the challenges facing the global rules-based order.
Salve told the students that they were entering a world undergoing significant transformation. He urged them not to assume that freedom, democracy and established international rules would always remain secure without effort.
He also highlighted the role of technology in shaping the emerging global order and said the graduating generation would have responsibilities in navigating and rebuilding systems in a rapidly changing environment.
Technology and Responsibility at the Centre
Doval’s address ultimately linked the graduates’ future prospects with the accelerating pace of technological change. His message combined optimism about the opportunities available to young professionals with a reminder of the challenges that accompany a rapidly evolving world.
For the IIT Roorkee graduates, the convocation marked the transition from academic life to professional careers at a time when artificial intelligence, advanced technology, innovation and geopolitical changes are reshaping economies and institutions.
With 2,701 students receiving degrees, the ceremony marked a significant academic milestone for IIT Roorkee while providing graduates with reflections from two prominent public figures on technology, professional resilience, freedom and the changing global environment.
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