NDA ball round the corner! Interested gals do read it

All those young girls fascinated by the men in uniform. Here is your chance to spend an evening at National Defence Academy (NDA). The ball will also have competition like Ms NDA - interested parties reach for auditions soon.

Here are the details-

"The auditions for the NDA Ball to shortlist girls for Ms.NDA 2012 will take place  at Mariplex Goldlabs, Kalyani Nagar from 1600hrs on 13 and 14 May 2012 . For further details contact Wing Commander Paul Davis at +919561328835/02025296671, Major BK Giri at +917387548348...Some pictures of the previuos NDA Ball and details attached."

Some images of last years' NDA ball

 

Happy Birthday General! Army Chief to end it where it all began

While uncertainty looms over how many candles Army Chief General VK Singh will have on his birthday cake today, what he is going to do on his last day of his tenure is certain. The General will review the passing out parade of the premier training institution National Defence Academy (NDA) – where lies the genesis of his age controversy.

General Singh will hand over the command of the 1.12 million-strong Indian Army to his successor Lt Gen Bikram Singh on May 31, a day when the normally the passing out parade takes place at the cradle of Indian armed forces - the NDA, Khadakwasla at Pune. The cadets passing out of the tri-service institution then join various service institutions like Indian Military Academy, Air Force Academy, Indian Naval Academy. 

Sources told the Defence Express that the summer passing out parade of the NDA has now been scheduled a day earlier on May 30, so that the Army Chief can review the parade.

Even as General Singh remains, the only army chief with two year of births – 1950 and 1951 – sources close to him indicate that the feeling of being wronged by the system is still there.

"It was 46 years ago on July 1, 1966 that the Army Chief had joined NDA, a place where it (the controversy for date of birth) all began. So there could be no better place to be on his last day in service," sources added.

The controversy of age that has been plaguing the Indian Army for over last one year has its roots in NDA. It was while filling up the form for this esteemed institution that one of the teachers of the then 14-year-old General – a third generation officer - wrongly filled his year of birth as 1950 instead of 1951.

Thereafter the date of birth reflected in the Indian Military Academy's (IMA) form is also 1950, a fact contested by General Singh. However, the Defence Ministry had determined Army Chief's year of birth as reflected in his NDA and IMA form.

The controversy threatened to send the succession plans of the Indian Army in a tizzy and also saw some unprecedented developments like a serving Army Chief dragging the government of the day to the Supreme Court.

Lt Col Kapil Dev visits NDA

Haryana Hurricane and skipper of Indian cricket team that lifted the 1983 World Cup visited the National Defence Academy (NDA) at Khadakvasla, Pune. Kapil has also joined the Territorial Army and presently holds the honorary rank of Lt Col. The cricketer had also taken training as part of the reserve force.

Statement by NDA

Former Indian cricket captain Kapil Dev visited the National Defence   Academy here today. (02 April 2012) He witnessed the various areas of   training and appreciated their enthusiasm and high morale. He said that it was an eye-opening experience for him to have glimpses of the training which changes a boy into a military leader. 

He also shared his experiences with the Cadets. Addressing the Cadets, he said that he was privileged to be at the NDA. He said that the most important thing in life is to be disciplined and have a passion to succeed. He said that the Indian Armed Forces are the best in the world and the cadets should consider themselves to be lucky and privileged to be putting on the uniform. He also exhorted the cadets to learn every day and believe in themselves. He said that having talent alone is not enough, one needs to have the commitment and desire to succeed. He said that the nation looks upto the cadets as the future and believes in them.

From NDA to Admiral

National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla (Pune), May 31, 2011: 

For a journalist he is a tough nut to crack. No amount of prodding or prompting would make him lose his cool and give you the desired quote in the moment. Man of few words Admiral Nirmal Verma, however, is also a man of set goals of modernizing the Indian Navy and welfare of his men.

A reticent armed forces officer, Verma had so far refused interview opportunity with him saying he would rather let his words speak than himself. I got a chance to meet him at the May 2011 Passing out Parade of the National Defence Academy (NDA), where he came as the reviewing officer. The cradle of the armed forces made him reminisces the three years of his life that baptized him to face all the hardships in life without batting an eyelid.

“As those cadets marched past below the quarter deck (marking the completion of the passing out parade), I remembered my days at the academy 62 years ago,” Admiral Verma said with a faint smile playing on his smile and an expression of nostalgia in his eyes. Admiral Verma was commissioned in Navy in 1970 at the age of 19 years. He goes on to say, “The academy has given me everlasting friendships, it has taught us that hardships could be faced much better when done together.”

The grueling academy training at the quaint Khadakwasla marked with greenery and hills is known for turning boys into men. The academy training is all about pushing the limits of your physical and mental endurance. At some point of time every cadet has done a return trip to Sinhagarh fort, the 25 kms long journey with a backpack also has 10 km of hill trekking. “The rigorous cross country runs and physical activities did not seem anything that point of time as all your friends were running along with you. Also if one of your friends is tired we did not think twice before picking up his backpack or lift him to reach the finishing line. Nobody was to be left behind.”

The stay at academy is marked with tradition and privileges that bound the generations of officers together. Admiral Verma belonged to the Hunter squadron of the academy; only its cadets are allowed to grow moustaches. When reminded of this and asked why he did not have one, Admiral Verma said the moustache was a late entrant in the Indian Navy, where one can either keep a beard or had to be clean shaven.

His squadron recently had a rare moment of glory in the history of soldiering- all the present three services’ chiefs belong to the Hunter Squadron. Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal PV Naik, Indian Army chief General VK Singh and Admiral Verma, had been together at one point in the squadron, which means Naik who was senior most of them would have given them punishments and mentored them for their service career. When asked about it the reticent officer smiled and before you knew he had skillfully dodged the query!

The Admiral said, “The hierarchy relation in academy turns into great camaraderie after passing out. All three of us are great friends now and are working towards making the jointmanship among three services strong. Whenever one of us faces problem we discuss and take a collective decision.”

Admiral Verma is a first generation armed forces officer. Coming from the heart of India and a landlocked state of Madhya Pradesh, Navy seems to be an unusual choice. “When I was 12 year old 1962 war happened and soon we fought the 1965 war with Pakistan. The whole country was gripped with patriotic fervor. Females donated their gold jewellery for national defence fund. So armed forces were a natural career choice for me.

“I also watched lot war movies on navy which inspired me to join the navy which has more romance and adventure than any other force.” His love for the navy also influenced his younger brother to join the navy. He is presently a Rear Admiral.

True to his passion his career was marked with professional milestones. He has commanded India’s lone aircraft carrier INS Viraat, missile class destroyer INS Ranvir and Naval Academy Goa.

Admiral Verma has all praise for the veteran warhorse, INS Viraat, which has become a more potent platform post its refurbishment in 2009. “Viraat is as capable an aircraft carrier as we need. With each refit it becomes stronger.” As Indian Navy is striving to become a three aircraft carrier force, the navy chief said, Viraat would keep going till the time the indigenous floating flying deck is not commissioned.

Since Admiral Verma, a communications specialist took over as the Navy chief his focus has been on augmenting the Indian Navy’s flotilla and air wing.