The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Earning their stars, with élan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 17, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Earning their stars, with élan

R.K. Radhakrishnan

280 Army cadets pass out of OTA in Chennai 280 Army cadets pass out of Officers Training Academy in Chennai

CHENNAI: The overcast skies threatened to open up any minute. But they held out for a few hours on Saturday, as if to allow as many as 280 cadets to take part in their passing-out parade at the Indian Army's premier training institution, the Officers Training Academy, here.

The 210 men and 70 women cadets went though the paces with clockwork precision, and were commissioned as officers at the end of the parade.

The OTA is the only institution in the country where women officers are trained for positions in the Army in the non-medical cadres.

The parade began at 6:52 a.m. at the Major Parameshwaran drill square as the markers took position. Cadets marched out to the tune of `Jai Bharti'.

The Presidential Colours were brought out soon. The acting Deputy Commandant took the salute, followed by the acting Commandant, William Isaaks. It was a rare honour for him, as an acting Commandant, to ride the traditional horse-drawn buggy used during the passing-out parade, and take the salute. A new Commandant is yet to be posted: Brigadier Isaaks has been officiating since July 21.

The reviewing officer, Vice-Chief of the Army Staff Lt.Gen. S. Pattabhiraman, inspected the parade and spoke to the cadets on the importance of keeping abreast of technological developments. Gen. Pattabhiraman, who was the first Director-General of Information Systems in the Army, mentioned the newer threats emerging from bioterrorism and nuclear terrorism.

The General said the Army looked forward to more women being commissioned. "The women officers today are doing very well in the Army and they are able to take up any challenging assignment that are given to them. Recently the government has also asked us to look into more avenues where the women officers can be employed."

He said the process of working out ways to give more challenging opportunities to women in the armed forces was on. He awarded the Sword of Honour for the best all around gentleman cadet to Academy Under Officer Guangthuanlung Dangmei, the gold medal for the gentleman cadet standing first in Order of Merit to Battalion Cadet Adjutant Abhijat Mukul and the silver medal to Academy Cadet Adjutant Lalthantluanga.

The gold medal for the best all round lady cadet was presented to Senior Under Officer Isha Yadav while the Silver Medal was presented to Battalion Under Officer Puja Sanap. He also gave away the Chief of Army Staff Banner for Champion Company to Meiktila.

As the cadets gathered for the piping ceremony, the 9 SIKH LI band from Bangalore, comprising bagpipers and drummers, displayed their skills. Then, as the proud parents gathered around their children, Gen. Pattabhiraman piped a lady cadet, marking the beginning of the ceremony that unveiled the first stars on the shoulders of the officer.

In a few moments, the newly commissioned officers went around thanking their instructors, hugging each other and posing for photographs.

Later in the day, they had a picnic— and then they got a break to go home.

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