NDA cadets must carry forward bonds they made to plan and execute ops: IAF chief

Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, reviewed POP of the 147th course of NDA as 1,265 cadets participated in the parade, including 357 cadets from the passing out course

Pune: The Passing Out Parade (POP) of the 147th course of the National Defence Academy (NDA) took place at the Khetarpal Parade Ground in Khadakwasla, Pune, on Saturday. Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, reviewed the event as 1,265 cadets participated in the parade, including 357 cadets from the passing out course.

Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh during the Passing Out Parade of the 147th Course of the National Defence Academy, in Pune district, on Saturday. (PTI)

The Air Chief Marshal said NDA cadets must carry forward the vast experience of their training to service academies and bonds they made at the institute in planning and execution of operations.

“The vast experience of training at the NDA needs to be carried forward to the respective service academies, and the bond created here must be carried towards planning and execution of our operations. I am confident that you will all don the mantle of jointness as proudly as you will don your service uniforms. As young officers, the role of NDA cadets in any future conflict would be pivotal in ensuring that the enemy designs are defeated and that the territorial integrity of a great nation is not compromised,” he said, adding that high-quality training imparted at the NDA and other academies of the three services will guide and equip cadets with the strength and confidence to boldly face these challenges.

“In terms of infrastructure size and quality of training, this academy is unmatched, and you all had the rare distinction of being trained here and being associated with it for the rest of your life,” the Air Chief Marshal said.

He said as future military leaders, the cadets will be leading a highly motivated and courageous set of soldiers, sailors and air warriors, and trust will be placed in their leadership given the perils of life.

The cadets who passed the course included 215 from the Army, 301 from the Air Force and 38 from the Navy, including 19 from friendly foreign countries (Bhutan, Tajikistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Sudan, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia and Maldives). A contingent of 47 female cadets’, presently in their third, fourth and fifth terms of training, also participated in the parade.

Cadet Ankit won the President’s gold medal for earning first place in the Overall Order of Merit, Cadet Yuvraj Singh Chauhan was awarded the silver medal for standing second, and Cadet Jodha Thongiaomayum received the bronze medal for standing third.

The Golf Squadron bagged the prestigious ‘Chiefs of Staff Banner’ for being the Champion Squadron, which was presented during the parade.

The 147th course began its training in 2021, and after completing three years of rigorous military training, the cadets graduated in a grand and solemn ceremonial event.

The NDA is the country’s premier Joint Services Training Institution.

Following their graduation, the cadets will be joining their respective pre-commissioning training academics. Those who have opted for the Navy will join the Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala, Kerala, while those joining the Army will head to the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun. The cadets who have chosen the Air Force will undergo training at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Hyderabad. Thus, marking this the beginning of their journey toward becoming commissioned officers in the Indian Armed Forces.

Air Chief pays homage at Hut of Remembrance

In a solemn ceremony at the Hut of Remembrance, National Defence Academy which followed the Passing Out Parade, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh paid homage to the brave hearts whose names are etched in the hallowed precincts. The Hut of Remembrance was constructed by the cadets of 10th to 17th Course NDA and has since then been a symbol of bravery, courage and selfless service. The walls of this hallowed memorial recite the sagas of undaunted courage, valour and innumerable sacrifices made by the alumni of NDA over the last seven decades.