KOCHI: A batch of 227 officer trainees of the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard, who completed the Integrated Officer Trainees Course (IOTC), participated in the passing-out ceremony held on board INS Tir and INS Sujata here on Friday.
The officers will now proceed to various frontline naval warships and Coast Guard patrol vessels on both Western and Eastern seaboards to take up future assignments.
Southern Naval Command Chief of Staff Rear Admiral R J Nadkarni, who was the chief guest on the occasion, awarded trophies to the meritorious trainees. Ravi Prakash Kumar was awarded the coveted Chief of the Naval Staff Trophy and Telescope for the “Best All-Round Sea Trainee.”
R K Rajkumar received the Binoculars for standing first in overall order of merit as well as the FOC-in-C East Rolling Trophy for showing maximum progress in service subjects during the term on board.
Lal Macaroni Nath Shahdeo received the DG ICG Trophy for the best Coast Guard trainee, while Arpit Moulik was adjudged the best sportsman and awarded FOC-in-C South Rolling Trophy.
The 24-week sea training phase commenced on June 25, 2018, under the aegis of First Training Squadron, comprising Indian Naval Ships Tir, Shardul, Sujata, Magar, Indian Coast Guard Ship Sarathi, and the Indian Naval Sail Training Ships Tarangini and Sudarshini.
The Sea Trainees had earlier undergone sail training on board INS Tarangini during her recently concluded Lokayan 18 voyage to Europe, as well as the Tall Ship Sail Together from Kochi to Muscat held in November 2018.