The Indian army teaches us that the nation comes first. That is the mantra by which General V.K. Singh, PVSM, AVSM, YSM (retd) and Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs in the present government, believes in. The Indian Army also gives a very valuable lesson of thinking about yourself last. The safety of people you command or want to save comes before your safety. This was the exact same thought he carried with him during Operation Raahat. A rescue mission with a difference - peaceful evacuation of thousands of Indians and foreigners, without compromising on their safety and security. The value of human life was kept above all during this rescue mission. General Singh takes us across a riveting saga of the rescue operations carried out in Yemen, with several twists and turns, yet becoming a highly successful one. When you are faced on all sides by an unknown enemy what is it that saves you? He describes the difficult situations under which the rescue operation happened and how 5000 people went safely to their homes. He describes how lessons from the Indian Army helped him through all of these situations and acted as a moral guide for him in everything he does. He measures success through the notion that the nation comes first and is determined to keep it that way General V.K. Singh, PVSM, AVSM, YSM (retd), is an Indian politician and a decorated and retired as the Chief of Army Staff. He is the Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs in the present government. He started his career as a military officer and became the first ever commando in the Indian Army to have been promoted to the General rank. On 11 March 2011, General Singh was inducted into the United States Army War College (Class of 2001 graduate) International Fellows Hall of Fame. He is the 33rd International Fellow and the first Indian Armed Forces officer to be inducted in this. He is also a graduate of US Army Rangers Course at Fort Benning, USA and US Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania. “Courage and Conviction” is the name of his highly acclaimed autobiography This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx