CISF Adjudged Best Team at 30th NHRC CAPF Debate; Justice Ramasubramanian Stresses ‘Balance as the Essence of Duty
(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)
New Delhi, 1st December 2025 — In a compelling display of reasoned argument and constitutional conscience, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) emerged as the best team at the 30th Annual Debate Competition for Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), hosted by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in collaboration with Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Presiding over the event, NHRC Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian lauded the participants for their intellectual rigour and affirmed that “balance is the essence of duty” in the armed forces, where the twin imperatives of national security and human rights must be harmonized, not opposed.
In a distinguished recognition of individual excellence, Mayank Verma and Arundhathi V., both Assistant Commandants from the CISF, secured the first prizes in Hindi and English debates respectively at the NHRC’s 30th Annual CAPF Debate Competition. The second prizes were awarded to Shri Deepak Singh Yadav, Recruit GD, Assam Rifles (Hindi), and Maj. Aditya Patil, Assam Rifles (English). The third prize in Hindi was conferred upon Shri Ashutosh Singh, Constable, BSF, while Shri Naresh Chandra Bajetha, Assistant Commandant, NSG, claimed the third prize in English. Each winner received a certificate, a commemorative memento, and cash awards of ₹12,000, ₹10,000, and ₹8,000 respectively, in recognition of their eloquence and insight on the intersection of human rights and national security.
The NHRC, India Chairperson, Justice V. Ramasubramanian appreciated the efforts of all the 16 participants for their forthright views on the subject and said that all of them deserved to be the winners. He said that the purpose behind NHRC’s initiative is to give armed forces a platform to reflect on duty through a human rights lens.
Justice Ramasubramanian said that balance is the essence of duty in armed forces to ensure national security and protection of human rights. He said that it may be an over statement of the facts to suggest that human rights can be observed only by compromising national security concerns. He also said that the debate regarding human rights concerns during armed action is not new but centuries old. In this regard, he also cited examples from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
Before this, NHRC, India Member, Vijaya Bharathi Sayani and the Chief of Jury said that security and human rights are not opposing concepts. They are complementary pillars that hold our democracy together. This competition is not merely an academic exercise. It is a reflection of the intellectual strength, moral courage and democratic values that our Central Armed Police Forces carry with pride.
