SOURCE : Army adds 409 officers to its ranks - Times of India
A total of 487 gentlemen cadets (GCs) including those from seven friendly foreign countries were commissioned into the armies of their respective countries after completing the autumn training course at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) on Saturday.
The Indian Army got 409 new officers while the armies of Afghanistan, Bhutan, Kazakistan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Tajikistan got a total of 78 new inductees. This year's reviewing officer of the parade was Bangladesh army chief General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq who reviewed the parade at the drill square in front of the historic Chetwode Hall of the academy.
Addressing the GCs, the general asked them to "trust your training and take a pledge to serve your armies to the best of your ability." "Your parade shows the great discipline and high training standards of the IMA and it is a moment of great honour for me to be here. An Armyman's life is full of challenges and you must learn from every challenge and make hard work and determination the guiding principles to serve your countries," he said.
The meticulously conducted parade held the almost 1000-strong crowd — which had assembled since early morning — spellbound as they watched the GCs march in unison till they took the final step into the hall, a symbolic gesture referred to as antim pag (final step) marking their transition from cadets to officers.
A total of 487 gentlemen cadets (GCs) including those from seven friendly foreign countries were commissioned into the armies of their respective countries after completing the autumn training course at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) on Saturday.
The Indian Army got 409 new officers while the armies of Afghanistan, Bhutan, Kazakistan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Tajikistan got a total of 78 new inductees. This year's reviewing officer of the parade was Bangladesh army chief General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq who reviewed the parade at the drill square in front of the historic Chetwode Hall of the academy.
Addressing the GCs, the general asked them to "trust your training and take a pledge to serve your armies to the best of your ability." "Your parade shows the great discipline and high training standards of the IMA and it is a moment of great honour for me to be here. An Armyman's life is full of challenges and you must learn from every challenge and make hard work and determination the guiding principles to serve your countries," he said.
The meticulously conducted parade held the almost 1000-strong crowd — which had assembled since early morning — spellbound as they watched the GCs march in unison till they took the final step into the hall, a symbolic gesture referred to as antim pag (final step) marking their transition from cadets to officers.