04/07/2026
An Inspiring Interaction with Shri S. Somanath, Former Chairman, ISRO
It was a privilege to meet Shri S. Somanath during the 5th Bharat Bharati National Conference, Pune. On behalf of Officers Career Academy (OCA), I, Prof. (Dr.) Amit Kumar Dubey, along with Dr. N. S. Mankar, Senior Scientist, BARC, presented the OCA memento in recognition of his outstanding service to the Nation and Society.
During our interaction, I asked him:
"What qualities should we inculcate in OCA cadets so they are more likely to succeed in the SSB and become worthy officers?"
His answer was simple yet profound:
✅ Honesty
✅ Integrity
✅ Stay away from social media as much as possible to maintain focus and clarity of thought.
He further emphasized that every aspiring officer should live by the timeless Indian principle of "मनसा, वाचा, कर्मणा"—purity in thought, speech, and action.
मनस्येकं वचस्येकं कर्मण्येकं महात्मनाम्।
मनस्यन्यद् वचस्यन्यत् कर्मण्यन्यद् दुरात्मनाम्॥
Meaning: Great personalities maintain complete harmony between what they think, what they say, and what they do. Such integrity builds true character, trust, and leadership.
For every defence aspirant, this is perhaps the finest lesson: Character is the foundation of leadership. An officer is selected not only for intelligence, but for integrity.
Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
