Lieutenant General Devendra Sharma, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Army Training Command (ARTRAC), delivered an inspiring address on “Military Leadership in the 21st Century” at the College of Defence Management (CDM) for participants of the 21st Higher Defence Management Course (HDMC-21).
In his address, Lt Gen Sharma emphasised that contemporary military leadership is anchored on the core pillars of character, professional competence, and cognitive agility. He underlined that while the fundamentals of leadership remain timeless, modern military leaders must adapt to rapidly evolving operational environments shaped by technology, complexity, and uncertainty.
The Army Commander highlighted that enduring attributes such as character, courage, and empathy must be seamlessly integrated with modern leadership qualities including anticipatory leadership, technological acumen, and cognitive dominance. He noted that this integration is essential for fostering innovative, adaptive, and agile warfighting capabilities, while upholding the trust reposed in military leaders by the nation.
During the visit, Lt Gen Sharma also interacted with officers from friendly foreign countries attending the course, reinforcing the importance of professional military education and international cooperation. He further commended select faculty and personnel of CDM for their exceptional contributions towards the institute’s growth and pursuit of excellence.
The interaction reaffirmed ARTRAC’s focus on nurturing future-ready military leaders capable of leading in complex, multi-domain operational environments.
