Sunday, 12 December 2021 | PNS | Dehradun
Undeterred by the pandemic of Covid-19 and the accidental demise of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash the prestigious Indian Military Academy (IMA) continued with its tradition of providing officers to the Indian army and to the armed forces of friendly foreign nations as 387 Gentlemen Cadets passed out of its famed portals after the Passing out Parade (PoP) on Saturday. The contingent belonged to 149 Regular Course and 132 Technical Graduate Course, and included 68 Gentleman Cadets from ten friendly foreign countries. This PoP was held in the backdrop of General Rawat’s death and was like a tribute of the academy to its brave alumni General Rawat, Brigadier LS Lidder and other soldiers who died in chopper crash.
A marker’s call made from atop the historic Chetwode hall marked the commencement of the parade. The parade marched in harmony to the tunes of “Col Bogey” and “Sare Jahan Se Acha”. The President Ram Nath Kovind was the chief guest and Reviewing Officer (RO) of the PoP. A ceremonial guard of honour was presented by the parade to him. After the parade, the President presented awards to the GCs.
The prestigious sword of honour and the gold medal for standing first in order of merit in regular course was presented to Anmol Gurung. The silver medal for standing second in overall merit in regular course was handed over to Tushar Sapra while bronze medal for GC standing third in order of merit from the regular course was presented to Ayush Ranjan. In the Technical Graduate Course, Kunal Chaubisa was presented with a Silver medal for standing first in overall merit. Sangay Phendhen Dorjee of Bhutan was bestowed with a Bangladesh medal for being the best Foreign Gentleman Cadet (FGC) of the POC. The Chief of Army Staff banner was handed over to the Keren Company for standing first among 16 companies of academy in the autumn term- 2021.
The President congratulated the GCs on successful completion of their training at IMA. He also complimented the instructors and GCs for the excellent parade, immaculate turnout and crisp, synergised drill movements indicating high standards of training and discipline imbibed by the young leaders. When the marching contingent entered the Chetwode building for the ceremonial Antim Pag (last step) it marked the metamorphosis of GCs into an officer of Indian Army from a cadet of academy. After the PoP, the contingent headed to sprawling Somnath stadium for pipping ceremony where proud parents put epaulets of officers on the shoulders of young officers. After this ceremony the young officers took an oath to serve the nation.
The PoP was also witnessed by the Governor of Uttarakhand Lieutenant General (retd) Gurmit Singh, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and other dignitaries.
The PoP was earlier preceded by a solemn wreath laying ceremony at the Academy War Memorial wherein the GoC in Chief Army Training Command Lieutenant General Raj Shukla, along with commandant and officers of IMA and the academy under officer laid wreaths and offered floral tributes to the 898 gallant alumni who have made the supreme sacrifice in service of the nation through the years. All trainees committed themselves to follow the same path of bravery and selfless courage.
