Civil services directorate holds seminar to mark Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary

A special seminar was organised at the Directorate of Training (UTCS), Vishwas Nagar, on Friday to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The event saw the participation of Lieutenant-Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who paid rich tributes to the Iron Man of India for his monumental role in uniting the nation and laying the foundation of its administrative system.

Addressing the gathering, the L-G recalled Patel’s description of the civil services as the steel frame of the nation and urged officers to uphold transparency, ethics, and integrity in governance. “Civil servants must embrace humility, adaptability, and an unwavering commitment to public service,” he said.

Saxena noted that today’s administrators faced complex challenges from technological transformation and environmental issues to growing public expectations, and must evolve into innovators, communicators, and leaders of change. He said that true administrative excellence stemmed not only from training but also from character, compassion and dedication.

The CM, in her address, described Sardar Patel as the architect of a united and strong India. Gupta urged trainee officers to imbibe the values of service and integrity. “Training provides the tools, but how these are used depends on one’s intent and vision,” she said. Joining the civil services, she noted, was not just a profession but a sacred national duty.