Why a General presented his Ray Ban aviators to a NDA cadet

The sixth term cadet, Chirag Arora, carried his unconscious buddy on his back for 2.5 km to complete a cross-country run at the National Defence Academy (NDA).

A top army general flew from Ambala to Pune, earlier this week, to acknowledge the spirit of a cadet who carried his unconscious buddy on his back for 2.5 km to complete a cross-country run at the National Defence Academy (NDA).

Lt Gen Alok Kler with cadet Chirag Arora. (HT Photo)

Lieutenant General Alok Kler, a strike corps commander, also presented his Ray Ban aviator sunglasses to the cadet who is from the same Echo squadron that the general was in, more than three decades ago.

“The boy is from my own squadron and embodies the army’s spirit of leaving no man behind. He did the right thing,” said Kler, who heads Ambala-based HQs 2 Corps and is third generation cavalry officer.

The 13.8-km cross-country run is an important part of the curriculum at the academy and the performance of cadets in the activity contributes significantly to the overall standing of their squadrons. On joining the academy, cadets are assigned to one of the 18 squadrons there.

The sixth term cadet, Chirag Arora, spotted a junior who had collapsed due to exhaustion and was in no position to complete the run on February 10.

General Kler’s brother Air Marshal JS Kler is the commandant of the NDA.

Except for first termers, all other cadets from the second to sixth terms have to take part in the cross-country run. The performance of squadrons in a variety of activities such as academics, drill and sports decides the standing of any particular squadron.

General Kler visited the Echo squadron on February 18 and interacted with the cadets.