More women left their mark this time. Widows of two Army officers – Lady cadets Shusmita Pandey and Neeta Deswal – overcame their personal tragedies to pass with flying colours
It seemed the Women's Day was back at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai on Saturday. Amid the rapturous thunder of jubilant cadets who had completed their gruelling training, the names of Cadet Adjutant Preeti Choudhary and Under Officer Vreeti stood out.
Preet bagged the coveted Sword of Honour. The silver medal went to Vreeti, who had quit a highly paid designer job in Japan to join the Academy. This is the first time women have got the top two awards, said officials. The Lady cadets, both from Haryana, beat over 200 Gentleman cadets.
The Sword of Honour goes to the cadet who tops the overall order of merit. An officer cadet has to perform exceedingly well in physical tests, academic training, weapon training, field engineering, drill, and show exemplary leadership qualities.
More women left their mark this time. Widows of two Army officers – Lady cadets Shusmita Pandey and Neeta Deswal – overcame their personal tragedies to pass with flying colours. Their husbands had been martyred fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. Shusmita was bestowed with the Veer Nari award, while Neeta got the Aadarsh Nari honour.
Lt Gen Dewan Rabindranath Soni, General Officer, Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command reviewed the spectacular parade which was commanded by Academy Under Officer (AUO) Vivek Suraj who won the gold medal.He also presented the awards to Preeti and Vreeti.
On Saturday, a total of 255 officer cadets passed out. Apart from 196 gentlemen and 37 lady cadets from India, two gentlemen and three lady cadets from Bhutan, nine gentlemen from Afghanistan and eight gentlemen Cadets from Tajikistan also were inducted into their respective armies as Officers following completion of vigorous training at the premier Defence training establishment.
The Officers Cadets marched out with precision from the Parameshwaram Drill Square to the tune of 'Auld Lang Syne', taking the 'Final Step', symbolizing the end of their training. The proud parents of the Officer Cadets, dignitaries, relatives of fallen war heroes, and members of the diplomatic fraternity witnessed the parade. Addressing after reviewing the Parade, Lt, Gen Soni congratulated the OTA for having toiled hard to turn out such smart and dynamic group of young Military Leaders.
Later in the 'Pipping Ceremony', the Officer Cadets were piped (putting on of rank badges on uniform) by their parents. The event was followed by the oath taking Ceremony. The Passing Out Cadets in their oath said "I will as in duty bound honestly and faithfully serve in the regular Army of the Union of India and go wherever ordered by land, sea or air and that I will observe and obey all commands of President of the Union and the command of any Officer set over me even to the peril of my life". The newly Commissioned Officers would now join their new assignments in battalions and regiments across the country.
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