169 OTA cadets rewrite destiny, step out as officers
CHENNAI: For the 169 cadets who marched with their heads held high to the drum beats at the passing out parade at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai, it was not just a rite of passage but the culmination of a valiant struggle to live the dreams of their friends and families. Take the case of Soni Bisht who lost her husband, sepoy Neeraj Singh Bhandari, in the line of duty just a month after their marriage. The woman from Haldwani in Uttarakhand, instead of wallowing in grief, decided to give life to her husband’s aspiration of serving the nation by joining the Army. Soni had secured the lone seat available under the Veer Nari scheme, a programme that offers the opportunity for widows of armed forces personnel to enter defence services.
She was among the 24 women commissioned into the Indian Army as officers following the parade at the Parameswaran Drill Square in Chennai on Saturday. In total, 157 Indian cadets and 12 foreign cadets successfully completed their training at the academy.
Lieutenant General Johnson P Mathew, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, reviewed the parade and honoured outstanding cadets. He urged the newly commissioned officers to uphold the Army’s values of selfless service, integrity, and excellence.
Among the newly commissioned officers, Lieutenant Surjeet Yadav’s journey stands out. Hailing from Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh, he faced financial hardships and health struggles from an early age. Determined to succeed, Yadav worked on improving his English and confidence for the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview. Despite battling a fever during the selection process, he emerged victorious and was later appointed as the Academy Cadet Adjutant at OTA.
Similarly, Aryan Deolkar, a young man from Mumbai, turned adversity into achievement. Coming from a middle-class family with a legacy of patriotism, he faced financial struggle while growing up. To support his family, he worked as a delivery agent, earning just Rs 200 per day while continuing his studies. His journey took a decisive turn when he joined the NCC, excelling in training and winning a national-level shooting competition. His perseverance paid off when he cleared the SSB interview on his first attempt, securing a place at OTA Chennai.
Raised in a remote village in Uttar Pradesh, Karan Trivedi’s dream of joining the armed forces was often met with scepticism. Lacking proper guidance, he only learned about the National Defence Academy (NDA) through a friend. After failing the written exam twice, he cleared it on his third attempt while balancing studies and household responsibilities.