Nda 150th Course Toppers Inspiration Uri Armed Forces Journey

As the cadets of the landmark 150th course of the National Defence Academy (NDA) received their degrees on Friday, the academic toppers reflected a diverse set of inspirations behind their journeys — from a cadet motivated by the Bollywood film Uri: The Surgical Strike to dream of joining Special Forces, to another from Visakhapatnam who grew up watching Navy officers and naval parades, experiences that inspired him to join the nation’s armed forces.

A total of 353 cadets are set to pass out from NDA on May 30. One Friday 236 cadets were conferred the degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University, including 65 in the Science stream, 112 in the Computer Science stream, and 59 in the Arts stream. Remaining were awarded three year course completion certificates of the four year BTech course. Twenty-one cadets from Friendly Foreign Countries were among those who were conferred degrees. The Chief Guest for the occasion was Dr Kiran Bedi, IPS (Retd) and former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.

CQMS (Company Quartermaster Sergeant) Mannela Nithin secured first rank in the BTech stream, in the 150th course, and was awarded the Commandant’s Silver Medal and the CISC Trophy presented by the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff. “I studied at Sainik School Korukonda in Andhra Pradesh. Even during my school days, and later after joining the NDA, I always tried to stay focused on academics, and that effort has paid off. Managing academics along with service subjects at the NDA was challenging, but the guidance of faculty members and seniors here helped me immensely,” he said.

Nithin, who hails from Visakhapatnam, said growing up in a city closely associated with the Navy played a major role in shaping his aspirations. “I grew up watching naval parades and keenly watched Navy officers who visited our school as guests. Listening to their experiences inspired me to join the Navy. Studying at Sainik School Korukonda played a major role in shaping my discipline and motivating me to pursue a career in the armed forces, especially the Navy,” he said. Son of a private firm supervisor and a homemaker, Nithin will now go on to join the Indian Navy.

CQMS Ranvijay Tyagi secured first position in the Computer Science stream and was awarded the Commandant’s Silver Medal along with the Chief of Naval Staff’s Trophy. Hailing from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, Tyagi said his decision to join the National Defence Academy took shape during his Class 10 years. “Around that time, the film Uri: The Surgical Strike was released and it inspired me to dream of joining the Special Forces. When I started researching the best path to achieve that goal, I realised that the NDA was the ideal route,” he said.

Tyagi added that his 12 years of schooling in Meerut played a major role in shaping both his academic inclination and his preparation for the NDA entrance examination. “Coming from a civilian background, the NDA initially felt like a completely different world and it took time to adapt. What I first saw as restrictions, I gradually understood as the discipline that forms the core ethos of the academy. The NDA instils in us the qualities of a soldier and a leader, and teaches us the true meaning of putting service before self,” he said.

Academy Cadet Adjutant Peeyush Rautela, who secured first position in the Science stream and was awarded the Commandant’s Silver Medal and the Chief of Army Staff Trophy, said his journey towards the armed forces began during his years at Sainik School Ghorakhal. “Looking back, I feel the seven years I spent at Sainik School were the biggest inspiration behind my decision to join the NDA and pursue a career in the armed forces. As a first-termer at the NDA, the toughest challenge was learning to manage time because the schedule here is extremely demanding. But it is this very rigour that shapes and transforms us into who we are today,” he said. Rautela, son of a mathematics teacher and a homemaker, is set to join the Indian Army and hopes to serve in the infantry.

Battalion Cadet Captain Sushant Verma secured first position in the Social Science stream and was awarded the Commandant’s Silver Medal along with the Trophy presented by the Chief of Air Staff. Hailing from Jammu and Kashmir, Verma studied at Army Public School Damana and said his inspiration to join the armed forces came from his father, an ex-serviceman who retired as an Honorary Captain from 13 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry. “I have grown up dreaming of wearing the olive green uniform. Watching my father’s journey in the Army was my biggest motivation. I will be joining the Army and hope to serve in the infantry to carry forward his legacy,” he said.

Speaking about life at the National Defence Academy, Verma said the support of seniors played a defining role in shaping his journey. “While officers and faculty groom you throughout your training, it is often the seniors who become your strongest support system. My seniors from Panther Squadron played a major role in helping me through my days at the NDA. Being part of the landmark 150th course is not only a great honour, but also a humbling reminder of the extraordinary legacy we are inheriting,” he said.

Sushant Kulkarni is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express in Pune with 12+ years of experience covering issues related to Crime, Defence, Internal Security and Courts. He has been associated with the Indian Express since July 2010. Sushant has extensively reported on law and order issues of Pune and surrounding area, Cyber crime, narcotics trade and terrorism. His coverage in the Defence beat includes operational aspects of the three services, the defence research and development and issues related to key defence establishments. He has covered several sensitive cases in the courts at Pune. Sushant is an avid photographer, plays harmonica and loves cooking. ... Read More