Meet the 150th course medalists: One cracked NDA entrance in fifth attempt, another strived to be a ‘good senior’

A CADET who cracked the National Defence Academy (NDA) entrance in his fifth attempt and another who always strived to be the ‘good senior’ to his juniors, were among the medal winners in overall order of merit from the historic 150th course which passed out on Saturday.

All the three toppers who have background military schools are set to join the Army.

The training of the 150th course of NDA culminated on Saturday with the Passing Out Parade (POP) held at the iconic Khetarpal Parade Ground of the academy. In a display of precision and discipline, the cadets marched past the Quarterdeck flag mast with a background score of the emotional and nostalgic Scottish tune of Auld Lang Syne.

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, himself an alumnus of the 65th course from the ‘Charlie Squadron’, was the Reviewing Officer for the POP.

The parade was conducted by NDA Adjutant Lt Col Avinash Pandey astride the horse Reliant Robin. This was Reliant Robin’s 11th passing out parade. The parade for which the cadets wearing the white summer uniform was commanded by Academy Cadet Captain (ACC) Mayank Choudhary of Lima Squadron.

The parade line-up included a total of 1250 cadets of which 353 were from the passing out course.

A total of 353 cadets, including 18 female cadets and 24 cadets from 12 friendly foreign countries marched shoulder to shoulder crossing the Antim Pag – the symbolic last step at the NDA. The Army Chief presented the President’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal to the first, second and third in the overall order of merit, respectively.

Story continues below this ad

The historic 150th Course Passing Out Parade (POP) of the National Defence Academy (NDA) took place on Saturday at the Khetarpal Parade Ground in Khadakwasla. (Express Photo By Pavan Khengre) The historic 150th Course Passing Out Parade (POP) of the National Defence Academy (NDA) took place on Saturday at the Khetarpal Parade Ground in Khadakwasla. (Express Photo By Pavan Khengre)

President’s Bronze Medal winner Battalion Cadet Captain (BCC) Sahil Sharma, who hails from Jammu, said his journey to the National Defence Academy was shaped by perseverance, family support and the inspiration he drew from his father, an ex-serviceman.

“My father’s service in the Army inspired me to pursue a career in the armed forces. When I told him about my dream, he got me admitted to Rashtriya Military School Chail,” Sharma said.

Sharma added that success did not come easily. “I cleared the NDA entrance examination on my fifth attempt. Through the four unsuccessful attempts, what kept me going was the unwavering support of my family and the encouragement of my mentors from school.”

Reflecting on his time at the academy, Sharma said, “The three years at the NDA have been the most challenging, demanding, rewarding and enriching years of my life. Looking back, I can only say that times like these and people like them will never come back. Every teacher, instructor, officer, staff member and senior contributed, directly or indirectly, to my success.” Sharma is now set to join the Indian Military Academy.

Story continues below this ad

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi was present at the 150th convocation ceremony at the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Khadakwasla. (Express Photo By Pavan Khengre) Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi was present at the 150th convocation ceremony at the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Khadakwasla. (Express Photo By Pavan Khengre)

Winner of the President’s silver medal was Academy Cadet Adjutant Peeyush Rautela, who secured first position in the Science stream in academics. Rautela credits his success to the training he received at Sainik School Ghorakhal before joining the NDA and the support from the seniors and faculty at the NDA.

President’s Gold Medal winner Battalion Cadet Captain (BCC) Rohit Kajla, who hails from Jhajjar in Haryana and studied at Rashtriya Military School Bangalore, said his school years prepared him well for life in the armed forces but the NDA shaped him into a leader. “My school gave me a strong grounding in military discipline and bearing, so the environment at the NDA was not entirely new to me. Even then, the academy presented its own set of challenges. With the guidance of seniors and instructors, I was able to overcome them, and in the process, I was transformed physically, mentally and emotionally. The NDA taught me how to manage multiple responsibilities and perform under pressure,” he said.

Talking about his leadership journey, Kajla said, “As I moved forward, I learnt that before becoming a successful senior, I will have to become a good senior to my juniors. And that is what I strived for. As Battalion Cadet Captain, I was responsible for leading 504 cadets and making a meaningful connection with each one of them. That experience made me not only a better leader, but also a better person.” Kajla said his father, an Army veteran, has been his greatest inspiration throughout his journey.