Vice President of India and President of the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, addressed the 72nd Annual Meeting of the General Body of IIPA in New Delhi on October 31, 2026. The meeting was attended by Union Minister and Chairman of the IIPA Executive Council Dr. Jitendra Singh, Director General of IIPA Dr. Surendra Kumar Bagde, members of the General Body and Executive Council, faculty members, and representatives of Regional and Local Branches.
Radhakrishnan called for transformative reforms in public administration to realize the Viksit Bharat @ 2047 vision, emphasizing that governance must evolve to be faster, citizen-centric, technology-enabled, data-driven, and outcome-oriented. He highlighted India's significant achievement in poverty reduction, noting that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership over the past 12 years, more than 25 crore people have been lifted out of poverty, reflecting sustained efforts toward inclusive development.
The Vice President stressed the need for seamless coordination among Central Government, State Governments, and district-level administration, stating that governance delivers meaningful results only when different levels work together with shared vision. He advocated for a balanced approach between economic growth and environmental sustainability, emphasizing that natural resources must be utilized judiciously for people's welfare while ensuring environmental protection.
Radhakrishnan urged IIPA to focus on preparing civil services for the challenges of 2047, noting that India's administrative structures need reorientation from their rural and agriculture-focused origins to address emerging realities of rapid transformation. He commended IIPA's institutional reforms undertaken in 2026, including the redesigned 52nd Advanced Professional Programme, structured Internship Programme, and engagement of officers from Central Civil Services and Central Civil Accounts Service.
During the event, the Vice President conferred the Paul H. Appleby Award, the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Award for Academic Excellence, and the Best IIPA Branches Awards, recognizing distinguished contributions to public administration. The occasion coincided with Rashtriya Ekta Diwas and the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, whom Radhakrishnan described as the architect of India's political integration.