Failures teach important lessons and bring a person closer to success, says retired Army officer

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 Special Arrangement

Alva’s Education Foundation Managing Trustee M. Vivek Alva presents a publication to Lieutenant Colonel Ankita Srivastava (retd) during her talk on “Olive Green to Beauty Queen – A Journey Within” at a programme organised by the Rostrum Speakers’ Club of Alva’s College connected Saturday, May 9, 2026 astatine Moodbidri. Photo: Special Arrangement

Lieutenant Colonel Ankita Srivastava (retd.) connected Saturday (May 9, 2026) said each nonaccomplishment teaches an important acquisition and brings a idiosyncratic person to success.

She was delivering a speech on “Olive Green to Beauty Queen – A Journey Within,” at a programme organised by the Rostrum Speakers’ Club of Alva’s College, Moodbidri.

Sharing her idiosyncratic and nonrecreational journey, Lt. Col. Srivastava spoke astir the struggles, failures and achievements she encountered arsenic a pistillate serviceman successful the Indian Army and aboriginal arsenic a subordinate successful nationalist quality pageants. She said her travel from serving successful the equipped forces to winning designation successful the Mrs. India contention was shaped by perseverance, subject and self-belief.

“One of the biggest challenges I faced arsenic a pistillate serviceman was proving myself successful a portion that consisted wholly of antheral soldiers,” she said advising students that focus, determination and enactment are the 3 indispensable elements for success.

Recalling her work during the Kargil War play on the India-China border, she said she sustained superior injuries portion connected work but ensured that her limb ne'er touched the ground. It reflected the subject and committedness instilled successful soldiers.

Civilian life

Speaking astir her modulation to civilian beingness aft retirement, Lt. Col. Srivastava said adapting to mean societal beingness was hard aft years of strict subject discipline. She admitted that interacting freely with radical and behaving similar a civilian initially felt unfamiliar.

Responding to students’ questions, she said, “The much you learn, the much you evolve, and each nonaccomplishment takes you person to success.”

Describing the Army arsenic much than a profession, she said, “The Army is not simply a job; it is simply a mode of life.” She encouraged students to marque the champion usage of their abilities, debar complaining and make the courageousness to instrumentality risks successful life.

Foundation Managing Trustee M. Vivek Alva said beingness communicative of Lt. Col. Srivastava was an inspiration not lone to women but besides to men. He urged students not to fearfulness nonaccomplishment and said setbacks often go the instauration for aboriginal success.

Published - May 10, 2026 12:56 p.m. IST

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