Pune among first six cities in India to get centre for UTC, predecessor of NCC, in 1921.
The largely unknown fact that Pune was among the first six centres in the country where the predecessor to the National Cadet Corps (NCC) was established in 1921 came to light during the 63rd NCC Day celebrations on Saturday.
In fact, none other than the great freedom fighter, Lokmanya Tilak, exhorted the Pune youth to join the Indian Defence Force (IDF) in 1917.
Tilak's statement of 1917 is significant considering that the then Poona became one of the first six centres of the University Training Corps (UTC), an extension of the IDF, on August 5, 1921 in undivided India. This was the day the 1st Bombay Battalion (predecessor to the present day, 2 Maharashtra Battalion of the NCC) was started in Khadki.
Former principal of Fergusson College, Shrinivas Bokil, told DNA in an exclusive interview on Saturday that the Indian Defence Force Act was brought into force in 1917 and it was Tilak who had actually welcomed the Act and "preached the desirability of young persons joining the Indian Defence Force."
Bokil researched the subject and wrote an article for the diamond jubilee edition of the Deccan Education Society in 2005. He said Tilak's statement encouraged a lot of students and professors to join IDF.
Bokil (80), who worked as an NCC officer at the Fergusson College during 1961-64 was felicitated by the NCC group headquarters in Pune at their Senapati Bapat Marg centre on Saturday.
A passionate proponent of the NCC, Bokil said the 1st Bombay Battalion had a very interesting history considering that army men of the repute of late Gen AS Vaidya, former Chief of Army Staff; late Lt Gen YD Sahasrabuddhe and Lt Gen (retd) NS Cheema were members of the Pune-based battalion.
He said the personal commitment of the late city-based college principals like RD Karmarkar, GS Mahajani and NG Suru helped the 1st Bombay Battalion grow. In his article, Bokil said the battalion emphasises on sports to develop the cadets.
Bokil said, "The NCC played an extremely important role in developing all-round students and consequently on nation building."
Col GK Pandey, group commander, NCC Pune told DNA, "It was amazing to learn today that it was Lokmanya Tilak who had encouraged the youth to join the IDF, the predecessor to the NCC."
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