NEW DELHI — Speaking as the guest of honour at the opening ceremony of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue in New Delhi, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval told a gathering of nearly 3,000 young delegates that they were fortunate to be born in an independent India, a privilege his generation did not have. Recalling that he was born under colonial rule, Doval said the freedom enjoyed today came at the cost of immense sacrifice by earlier generations.
He reminded the audience that India’s independence was earned through extraordinary struggle, citing the sacrifices of revolutionaries and leaders who endured imprisonment, execution and lifelong hardship so the country could be free. Doval said these sacrifices impose a responsibility on present and future generations to ensure that the nation never again suffers from weakness or subjugation.
Clarifying his remarks on “avenging history,” the 81-year-old former Intelligence Bureau director said revenge should not be understood in a literal or violent sense, but as a powerful motivating force to correct historical failures. According to him, true justice to the past lies in building a strong, confident India — not only in terms of border security, but also economic strength, social development and national unity.
Doval stressed that learning from history must translate into action, urging young Indians to channel the legacy of sacrifice into building a nation that is resilient, self-reliant and respected across every domain.
