The thread that joins four academic toppers: robust foundation in military schools (2024)

A total of 205 cadets were conferred the Bachelors degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University which included 82 cadets in Science stream, 84 cadets in Computer Science stream and 39 cadets in the Arts stream. Seventeen cadets from friendly foreign countries were also awarded degrees during the convocation ceremony. In addition, the BTech stream comprising of 132 cadets of Navy and Air Force also received their ‘three years course completion’ certificates. The Naval and Air Force cadets will be conferred with the degree after completion of one year training at their respective pre-commissioning training academics — Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala and Air Force Academy, Hyderabad.

Squadron Cadet Captain Naveen Kumar, who topped the Arts stream, hails from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan and is the son of Havildar Ishwar Singh, who is retired from the Indian Army’s Pioneer Corps. Prior to joining the NDA, Naveen completed his studies from Rashtriya Military School, Ajmer.

“In the second term, I was told by a senior that the studies of the military subjects will shape my career. And since then I have concentrated on my studies. The service training that we get here is the bedrock of our military future. Before joining the NDA, the training at the Rashtriya Military School has played a key role in imbibing the military ethos. I draw motivation to join the Indian Armed Forces from my family and I aspire to join the Infantry of the Indian Army,” said Naveen. When asked about the challenges during the training, he said, “Tougher the challenges, the better you feel once you have overcome them and the more you learn while doing so,” he added.

PT and equestrian display ahead of 145th course cadets of National Defense Academy (NDA) on Thursday. Para dropping, Tent pegging, paradropping and show jumping were the major attractions of the event. (Express photo by Arul Horizon)

Cadet Amartya Singh, who topped the cadets who successfully completed their three years of BTech stream, is set to join the Indian Air Force. Amartya is an alumnus of the Sainik School, Purulia in West Bengal. “We could successfully complete the demanding academic curriculum of the BTech course because of the constant support and motivation from the instructors. I want to thank my family, my parents and elder brother and sister. They have been my rock solid support. The training that I received in the Sainik School has provided the solid foundation which helped me a lot. The inspiration to join the NDA also came from the Sainik School days,” he said. Amartya comes from a civilian background. His father is a businessman and two elder siblings are engineers.

Cadet Quarter Master Sergeant Aman Pandey, who topped the Computer Science stream, is from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. His father Sanjay Kumar Pandey is retired from the Army Medical Corps after 17 years’ service. Aman completed his schooling from Army Public School, Gorakhpur. “In addition to exemplary training imparted by the instructors, the senior cadets play a pivotal role in the grooming and growth of the cadets at the NDA. In my case, I have grown up seeing my father in the uniform. And that has inspired me.” His father Sanjay Kumar said, “Aman had joined Mechanical Engineering degree course at government college in Gorakhpur but left in the first year after clearing the NDA entrance. As an Army man I couldn’t have been prouder then and today, I can’t describe my feelings.”

Battalion Cadet Captain Shobhit Gupta, who topped the Science stream in the NDA, hails from Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. “I come from a farmer family. I have done my schooling from Sainik School, Satara in Maharashtra. I will be joining the Army. The seeds of the basic military values and that of the ambition to join the NDA were sowed in us in the Sainik School. The training at the NDA equips us with crucial life skills including time management, handling pressure, facing failure, overcoming challenges in addition to military etiquettes and service subjects.”