Mussoorie (Uttarakhand) [India], November 29 (ANI): Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday lauded the administrative officials who successfully reached out to the public during mock drills conducted in various parts of the country under Operation Sindoor and said that this was a brilliant example of being public servants.

He was speaking at the valedictory ceremony of the 100th foundation course in Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA).

Addressing the gathering, Rajnath Singh said, 'Operation Sindoor took place recently. Our forces destroyed Pakistan-based terrorist camps. Although we had given a highly balanced response, our response was not escalatory, but Pakistan's attitude did not allow the situation on the border to remain normal after Operation Sindoor. During this time, the way mock drills were conducted across the country, and our administrative officials successfully explained and reached out to the public about the mock drill, is a brilliant example of all of you being public servants. All of you should also keep yourselves mentally prepared for any such situation that may arise in the future.'

He advised the students to use social media to bring about real change instead of creating reels for self-obsession.

Singh further said, 'You must also remember the principle of anonymity in the use of social media. The use of social media should be to bring about real change, not to create reels to feed your self-obsession. Your true image will be shaped by the people you serve, not by followers on social media.'

The Defence Minister also inaugurated the 'One District One Product' shop at LBSNAA, Mussoorie.

He further said, 'Under the leadership of our Prime Minister, in the last few decades, the socio-economic landscape of our country has changed rapidly. Enrolment in higher education has increased manifold, and job opportunities have grown unprecedentedly. New opportunities have emerged in the IT sector, engineering, medical fields, and the service sector. Start-up culture has increased. This has attracted many talented youths of the country. Given the pace at which India is currently progressing on the path of development, it is very important for the youth to have enthusiasm within them. If we truly want to make India develop in the right sense, then we must ensure that every section of society participates equally in this journey of development.'

Singh exhorted the young IAS probationers and said that the actions taken by them will determine India's future.

'You will manage the country's administrative system. You will make decisions related to policy-making. You will implement policies on the ground. The actions taken by you will determine India's future. This is a very big responsibility, which you have to fulfill successfully,' he added. (ANI)