Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani Graces Foundation Course Valedictory

Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani exhorts Officer Trainees from 15 All India and Central Civil Services to become subject matter experts in their chosen domains

Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Union Minister of State for Communications & Rural Development, was the Chief Guest at the Valedictory Function of the Special Foundation Course 2025 held on 6th December 2025 at the National Communications Academy – Finance (NCA-F), a “Sarvotkrisht” (5 Star) rated Central Training Institute under the Department of Telecommunications, Govt of India.

Delivering the valedictory address, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani exhorted Officer Trainees to become subject matter experts in their chosen domains, underscoring that competence builds credibility in public service. He emphasised that staying true to dharma enables officers to firmly reject corruption and ultimately prevail. Stressing self-awareness, he cautioned that, “ego is your enemy” and urged Officer Trainees to reflect on the impact of their actions on others. Highlighting the value of teamwork, he encouraged officers not to compete with those who are better, but to collaborate with them, noting that public institutions thrive on resilient systems. He concluded by reminding Officer Trainees that the opportunity to serve 1.4 billion citizens of India is the greatest gift of public service.

The Special Foundation Course was conducted from 15th September to 5th December 2025 in collaboration with the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, for 176 Officer Trainees (OTs) from 15 All India and Central Civil Services selected through the UPSC Civil Services Exam, 2024. Designed to orient young civil servants to India’s administrative, socio-economic, and political landscape, and build spirit de corps across services, the course aimed to instil discipline, ethics, professionalism, seva bhaav, while providing a platform for cross-service learning through sessions led by eminent speakers from the bureaucracy, academia, civil society as also practitioners & industry experts. The curriculum combined rigorous academic instruction with experiential learning. In addition to academic activities, the Officer Trainees participated in sports and cultural events such as Bharat Diwas, Khel Samagam (Sports Week), the One Act Play Competition, and inclusive initiatives like the Purple Fest, fostering camaraderie, empathy, and national pride. They also interacted with eminent personalities, including Padma Awardees, Khel Ratna & Arjuna Award winners, Economists, an astronaut, and distinguished achievers from various fields, who served as Guest Faculty and inspired the participants.

The Valediction Ceremony was also graced by senior dignitaries including Shri Sriram Taranikanti, Director, LBSNAA, Ms. Vandana Gupta, Controller General of Communication Accounts, Department of Telecommunications; and Ms. Madhavi Das, Director General, NCA-F, along with Dr. Kamal Kapoor, Course Director, Shri Shailesh Bansal, Course Coordinator & other faculty members and distinguished guests from various Central Training Institutes & other departments.

Shri. Taranikanti highlighted the shared purpose uniting all services, urging Officer Trainees to break silos, build synergy, and leverage local ingenuity and janbhagidari for meaningful change. In her remarks, Ms Madhavi Das, DG NCA-F emphasised lifelong learning, humility, and the trust placed on civil servants as responsibility, not entitlement. Dr. Kapoor, Course Director, presented the Course Overview outlining the various modules and activities undertaken as part of SFC.

On this occasion, awards were presented to meritorious trainees under various categories, including Best Overall House, Best House in Himalayan Study Tour, Best House in Rural–Urban Immersion program, and individual distinctions such as Best Overall Officer Trainee, Best in Academics, and Best in Sports, etc. The program concluded with Vote of Thanks by Ms Preeti Mahto, DDG and rendition of National Anthem.