President medallists of NDA’s 150th course credit success to military schools, determination

Pune: The President's Medallists of the 150th course of the National Defence Academy (NDA) credited their success to discipline, perseverance, and patriotism instilled in them by their families and schools long before they entered the academy.

While two of the medal winners continued their fathers’ Army legacy, the third was a teacher’s son. Despite their diverse backgrounds, all three shared a common belief that the guidance of parents, mentors and military schools played a crucial role in shaping their journey to becoming some of the finest cadets of the course.

Cadet Rohit Kajla, who was awarded the President’s Gold Medal, belonged to the Jhajjar district of Haryana. He said his father, a retired Havildar of the 3rd Grenadiers, remained his greatest inspiration for joining the armed forces.

An alumnus of Rashtriya Military School in Bengaluru, Kajla said the military environment at NDA was familiar to him because of his schooling, but the academy’s demanding routine presented significant challenges.

“NDA training transforms cadets in every possible way by preparing them to become leaders capable of handling multiple responsibilities under pressure. Its early morning schedules, rigorous drills and obstacle training tested me in every way,” he said.

One of the most memorable moments of his training came during Camp Torna, a gruelling 40-km night endurance competition conducted over rugged terrain. He recalled how a co-cadet collapsed due to exhaustion.

“Instead of moving ahead, the entire team waited for him to recover. We continued together and completed the challenge as one unit. That experience reinforced the importance of teamwork and camaraderie,” he said.

As the battalion cadet captain responsible for leading 504 cadets in his battalion, Kajla said, “One of the most important lessons of leadership I learned at NDA was that before becoming a good leader, you must first learn to be a good follower.”

President’s Silver medallist Cadet Peeyush Rautela described his appointment as Academy Cadet Adjutant (ACA), the prestigious cadet appointment at NDA, as the result of years of hard work, discipline and self-belief. The appointment carries immense prestige and responsibility, as the ACA serves as a role model for over 2,000 junior cadets.

Having spent seven years at a Sainik School before joining the NDA, Rautela said he was already accustomed to military discipline and, therefore, found it relatively easier to meet the academy’s rigorous physical standards. However, balancing academics with military training, sports and drills proved to be a far greater challenge.

“I was not very studious in school, but after joining NDA I became more focused on academics. As the face of the academy, I had to be conscious of how I spoke, walked, behaved and conducted myself because juniors were always observing,” he said.

Reflecting on his journey, Rautela said becoming the academy’s top cadet was never a goal when he entered the NDA. However, as he progressed through the academy, a simple thought motivated him to strive for excellence. “Why not me?” he said.

Perseverance and determination – these two words defined the NDA journey of the President’s Bronze Medallist Cadet, Sahil Sharma.

A native of the Jammu district in Jammu and Kashmir, Sharma cleared the NDA written examination four times but failed to make the cut through the Services Selection Board (SSB) process on each occasion.

“I made it through only in my fifth attempt. In my first four attempts, I was conference-out and could not make the final merit list,” he recalled.

Rather than allowing disappointment to deter him, Sharma sought guidance from mentors and instructors at his school. Their encouragement, coupled with his determination, helped him finally achieve success.

“Today, I would like to thank all the instructors and officers who guided me, both directly and indirectly,” he said.

Sharma is a son of an ex-serviceman who served in the Indian Army’s 72 Armoured Regiment between 1982 and 2012. Inspired by his father’s military career, he had decided at an early age to wear the uniform.

Recognising his ambition, his father enrolled him at Rashtriya Military School, Chail, in Himachal Pradesh. Looking back, Sharma described his seven years at the institution as the “golden years” of his life.

“The school shaped my personality and instilled in me the values of leadership and discipline. The principal, officers and instructors all worked towards making us better human beings and future leaders,” he said.

The Passing Out Parade was commanded by Academy Cadet Captain (ACC) Mayank Choudhary of Lima Squadron.

A total of 353 cadets, including 18 female cadets and 24 cadets from 12 friendly foreign countries, marched shoulder to shoulder and passed out from the academy.