M S Nazki
The smile on your face means a lot!
-Success is not how high you have climbed, but how you make a positive difference to the world……………General Anil Chauhan!
“Ever Smile as tenure of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS ) General Anil Chauhan the most precious commanding chair in Indian Army ” hits right at the core of it……!
-Leadership isn’t just about orders and strategy — it’s about carrying calm so the people behind you can carry courage……….!
-Down to earth keeps him connected to the Jawans on the ground. Motivation keeps them moving when the ground gets tough.
The country feels proud, it’s because of every soldier, officer, and family standing firm together. you are just one face of that spirit.
-Smiling faces of every little girl is the signature of God’s presence…………..Officers and men who were present during the farewell!
-Many smiling faces hide a bleeding heart……………..!
-That is a profound and beautifully stated perspective. True leadership acts as an emotional thermostat for the entire team, absorbing panic and radiating stability so others feel safe enough to take risks and perform at their best.If you are developing a piece of writing or a presentation around this concept, I can help you expand on it. Let me know how you would like to proceed: We can brainstorm real-world examples or historical figures who embodied this trait.I can help you weave this quote into a speech, essay, or team memo. We can explore the psychological mechanisms behind how a leader’s calm affects team performance. How would you like to build on this idea?……………!
-Once upon a time 30 years ago I forgot this!
-The “most emotional farewell” is subjective, but F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ending to The Great Gatsby is widely considered one of the most poignant.
-It captures the bittersweet ache of looking to the past with a beautifully poetic line:”So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
-“For a real-world perspective, Captain Scott’s final letter from the doomed 1912 Terra Nova Antarctic Expedition is a devastating masterpiece of human dignity.
-Writing to his wife, he stated:”We are in a very tight corner… I do not regret this journey… we have been through a rough lot, but we have been together in the right way.”
- One of the most emotional and widely revered farewells in the Indian Army was written by Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa (then General Cariappa) upon his retirement in 1953.
-Known as his “Message to the Army”, it remains a timeless piece of military literature, embodying the ultimate ethos of duty, secularism, and camaraderie.
-Field Marshal Cariappa’s historic farewell message reads:”With all my heart I wish you well. My last words to you are: Have ‘Service Before Self’ as your motto. Be absolutely impartial. Have no politics. Be ever ready to serve our country with devotion, sincerity and faith.
-Be disciplined, for discipline is the backbone of the Army. Look after your men. Be proud of them and be proud of your great Army. May God be with you all. Jai Hind.
-The new CDS:
-General N.S. Raja Subramani is the current Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of India, having assumed office on May 31, 2026.
- He succeeded General Anil Chauhan, becoming the third officer to hold the highest-ranking military position in the Indian Armed Forces.
-As the “first among equals” among the service chiefs, the CDS serves as the principal military adviser to the government and the main link between the military and the civilian political leadership.
-General Subramani’s primary mandate is to advance military modernization, bolster joint planning, and enhance operational synergy among the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.
-Professional Background: Previous Roles: Prior to this appointment, he served as the Military Adviser in the National Security Council Secretariat and as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
-Commission: Commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in 1985.Education: An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), King’s College London (MA), and the National Defence College (NDC).
-Honors: Decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal, and Vishisht Seva Medal.
-It’s only after you’ve stepped outside your comfort zone that you begin to change, grow, and transform………..General Subramani!
General Anil Chauhan PVSM UYSM AVSM SM VSM (born 18 May 1961) is a retired four-star general of the Indian Army who served as the 2nd Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian Armed Forces from 2022 to 2026.[2][3][4]
-About General Anil Chauhan:
-On 28 September 2022, Gen Chauhan was recalled from retirement and was appointed as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) by the Government of India, following a June 2022 notification which permitted military retirees under the age of 62 to be qualified for the post.
- Assuming charge two days later, he became the first three-star retiree to be appointed to the post, traditionally held by a four-star officer. He succeeded General Bipin Rawat, the inaugural holder of the post, who had died in a helicopter crash in December 2021.
-Anil Chauhan was born in a Hindu Garhwali Rajput family of Chauhan clan on 18 May 1961, hailing from the Gawana village Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand.
-After completing his schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya at Fort William, Kolkata, he joined the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla (NDA) as part of the 58 Course in year. He subsequently joined the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun (IMA) as part of the 68 Course in 1980.
- He is also a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the Higher Command and National Defence College courses.
-Military career
-Gen Chauhan was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the 6th Battalion of the 11th Gorkha Rifles (6/11 GR) on 13 June 1981 from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. Chauhans’s staff and instructional assignments include Instructional tenure at HQ IMTRAT, Bhutan, Military Observer on a UN Mission to Angola, General Staff Officer 1 (Operations) of the Mountain Division, Director, Perspective & Planning (TAS) at Army HQ, Chief of Staff at HQ 15 Corps and Director General of Discipline Ceremonial & Welfare.
-As a Major general, he commanded the Baramulla-based 19th Infantry Division of the Northern Command. In 2017, on promotion to the rank of Lieutenant general, he was appointed General officer commanding (GOC) of the Dimapur-based III Corps.
- In January 2018, he was appointed Director General Military Operations (DGMO), during the course of which he oversaw the execution of two key military operations: the 2019 Balakot airstrike against Pakistan and Operation Sunrise (2019) – a joint India-Myanmar counterinsurgency offensive.
- On 1 September 2019, he took over as the GOC-in-Chief Eastern Command succeeding Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane upon his elevation as the Vice Chief of Army Staff.
- He superannuated on 31 May 2021 and was succeeded by Lt Gen Manoj Pande. Following his retirement from active military service he served as a military advisor to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), headed by Ajit Doval, India’s fifth National Security Advisor.
-Chief of Defence Staff:
-On 8 December 2021, Gen. Bipin Rawat, the inaugural Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), died when his Mil Mi-17 helicopter carrying him and 13 others, crashed in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu.
- Gen Rawat, who had only been in the post for twenty-three months, had no immediate successor to him, as the position of CDS had no defined order of succession, which led to it becoming vacant.
- Amidst growing uncertainty over the impending choice of appointing a successor, the Union Government appointed Gen. Manoj Mukund Naravane, the then-Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), as an acting functionary to the position of Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (Chairman COSC), as an interim successor in an effort to temporarily oversee Gen Rawat’s responsibilities, while simultaneously looking for a successor.
- Gen Naravane, then the senior most chief amongst the three branches of the armed forces, was himself reported to be a plausible successor; however, his retirement in April 2022 put an end to those speculations.
- The message was clear while going away to another destination! “Be grateful for what you already have while you pursue your goals……… General Anil Chauhan
-If you aren’t grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you would be happy with more……….!
-Let the improvement of yourself keep you so busy that you have no time to criticize others………..General Anil Chauhan!
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw did not deliver a single, formal military farewell address upon retiring in 1973. Instead, his most celebrated and widely circulated “farewell” encompasses the impromptu, highly inspirational leadership speeches he gave during his visits to the Indian Military Academy.
-His enduring “farewell” message to young cadets—blending fierce patriotism with his signature wit and candid honesty—remains the gold standard for Indian military lore.
-Core Themes of His Address Uncompromising Dedication:
- “One thing remains the same. That is, your task and your duty. You are required to ensure the security of this country against any aggressor”.
-Winning at All Costs: “It means that you should have to fight, and fight to win. There is no room for the loser. If you lose, don’t come back. You will have disgraced the country and the country won’t accept you”.
-The Danger of ‘Yes-men’: “A ‘Yes man’ is a dangerous man… He may go very far. He can become a minister, a secretary or a Field Marshal but he can never become a leader nor, ever be respected”.
-The Importance of Honor: “Make sure gentlemen that you don’t betray that trust or their pride. Jai Hind”.
-These iconic principles and leadership insights are frequently revisited in Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw Leadership Insights!
He also said, listen with curiosity. Speak with honesty. Act with integrity. The greatest problem with communication is we don’t listen to understand. We listen to reply. When we listen with curiosity, we don’t listen with the intent to reply. We listen for what’s behind the words! To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.
Always remember people who have helped you along the way, and don’t forget to lift someone up. The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires!
The “greatest” farewell speech depends on the context, but these five are widely considered the most legendary due to their historical impact, emotional weight, and cultural resonance:
_Lou Gehrig (1939): Often called the “luckiest man on the face of the earth” speech, the legendary New York Yankees player gave this address after being diagnosed with ALS. It remains the gold standard for grace and gratitude in the face of tragedy.
Douglas MacArthur (1962): Delivered at the United States Military Academy at West Point, his “Duty, Honor, Country” address is a masterpiece of military rhetoric that outlines the core virtues of service.
The final lines: Quiet people always know more than they seem. Although very normal, their inner world is by default fronted mysterious and therefore assumed weird. Never underestimate the social awareness and sense of reality in a quiet p0erson; they are some of the most observant, absorbent persons of all. We may well value our minds and esteem our brainpower. But let us respect our feet as well. They might be down-to-earth for sure, but do allow us to go forward and steam ahead in life. On top, they can kick out anyone disrespectful and mind-numbing. (“If he doesn’t play ball”)” Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. “We must become so alone, so utterly alone, that we withdraw into our innermost self. It is a way of bitter suffering. But then our solitude is overcome, we are no longer alone, for we find that our innermost self is the spirit, that it is God, the indivisible. And suddenly we find ourselves in the midst of the world, yet undisturbed by its multiplicity, for our innermost soul we know ourselves to be one with all being.”!
It was a great farewell indeed!
