Gen V K Singh to review historic Passing Out Parade of NDA's 148th course
GENERAL V K Singh (Retd), former Chief of Army Staff and current Governor of Mizoram, will be the Reviewing Officer for the Passing Out Parade (POP) of the historic 148th course of the National Defence Academy (NDA), scheduled for May 30. The landmark event will see the first batch of woman cadets graduating from the premier tri-services academy among around 340 passing out cadets.
The first batch of woman cadets was admitted to the NDA in June 2022 and comprised 19 girl cadets — 10 for the Indian Army, six for the Indian Air Force and three for the Indian Navy. The academy has said the training was conducted in gender-neutral and gender-sensitive manner.
Gen Singh, an alumnus of the 36th course of the NDA, was the 26th Chief of the Army Staff. Gen Singh has served as Minister of State in key portfolios in the Union government.
As the Reviewing Officer, Gen Singh will inspect the cadets lined up for their final parade. He will address the passing-out cadets and ceremonially pin medals on those who have earned top honors. The convocation of the course will be held on May 29 and Prof Dr Poonam Tandon, Vice Chancellor, Deen Dayal Upadhyay University, Gorakhpur, will be the chief guest.
An interim order passed by the Supreme Court in August 2021 had paved the way for the admission of woman cadets into the NDA. The apex court was hearing a plea seeking directions to allow eligible women to appear for the entrance exams of the NDA and Naval Academy examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The SC had asked UPSC to issue a corrigendum in keeping with its interim direction. The Centre had subsequently formed a study group to facilitate the entry of women, and the necessary mechanism to facilitate that.
The NDA has said a dedicated support staff has been provided for facilitating the training of woman cadets. For the stay of girl cadets, initially one of the squadrons was identified and was refurbished with amenities and requirements specific for their training. For the long term, a separate squadron has been envisaged exclusively for girl cadets.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
The Dance Of Democracy
A victory felt like a defeat, and a defeat felt like a victory' is a line which spread like wildfire on social media among netizens after the outcome of India's 18th general elections. It summed up the experience of voters and also the political stakeholders. The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), under the leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), emerged victorious with 293 seats, and the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A), its main opposition, was confined to 235 seats. Although the NDA got the majority votes, the results were a shock for many political analysts who not only predicted an easy win to the NDA but also forecasted almost 400 seats to the NDA, with the BJP gaining 300-350 seats. Reclaiming Bharat: What Changed in 2024 and What Lies Ahead (Westland Books), by author and journalist Ashutosh, analyses what went wrong for the BJP and how the opposition parties turned the tables. Divided into 10 chapters, it covers Constitution debates, the politics of Mandalisation, and the temporary backlash against 'Hindutva' politics, among others. It also speaks about where the nation stands at this moment and where its key players stand. Excerpts from a conversation with the author. You considered the BJP's rise to power in 2014 a 'revolution' in your book based on '3Ds'—disconnection to the past, disruption in the present, and deconstruction of the future. Where does the 'revolution' stand now almost a year after the 2024 general elections? Yes, I indeed compared the BJP's rise to power to a revolution–and it offended many of my left-liberal friends. However, one must understand the ongoing deconstruction of India's socio-political and administrative systems. The country is chasing a utopia called the 'Hindu Rashtra,' backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). And, like every big corporation has a vertical, the BJP is also a vertical of the RSS. Hence, at this moment, the revolution is continuing. However, I must say that the government has got a little feeble as it does not have the complete majority on its own, and the RSS is also apprehensive a bit because of the negative portrayal of Hindutva by the international media and the threat of being discredited like political Islam. After the 2024 elections, it was expected that the I.N.D.I.A alliance would become a formidable option. However, the back-to-back debacle in the state assembly polls and bypolls, followed by the internal power tussle, has made them weak. Why? The I.N.D.I.A alliance, unlike other alliances in the past, is different. It was formed by parties that were worried about the Modi government's ideological dominance and hence, came together. They were not very friendly with each other, but came together, keeping the parliamentary elections in mind. At present, the alliance exists only on paper. Nevertheless, the alliance has created an ideological paradigm against the BJP, partly because of Rahul Gandhi. As the leader of the opposition, he has understood where the core problem lies. It is not a fight against Narendra Modi, but a fight against Hindutva and the RSS. Without defeating the latter two, one can't defeat the first one. How do you read the political image of Rahul Gandhi from visiting temples in 2018 to talking about social justice in 2024? Is it a journey from soft Hindutva to social justice? See, it is not fashionable to talk about Rahul Gandhi's achievements. He is often considered playing the soft-Hindutva card if he visits temples. Gandhi's answer to the BJP blends three elements: secularism, constitutionalism, and social justice. Unlike previous times, his secularism does not disapprove of religion. Instead, it engages with it. He persistently calls out the BJP's effort to dismantle the constitutional values. The movement for social justice has changed India's political landscape since 1990. The OBCs and the Dalits play a significant role in states like Maharashtra and UP. In 2024, the results provided the BJP with a shock as the OBCs and Dalits largely voted for the I.N.D.I.A alliance. So, he identifies the right people and the right ingredients to put up a fight with the BJP. How do you see the implementation of the caste census by the BJP after all the comments they made against it? It can be considered an ideological retreat. The caste-based division is the biggest hindrance to the RSS's political strategy of uniting the Hindus. However, they cannot ignore the importance of caste-based reservation given the present political scenario. They had to take a middle path. The minorities played a significant role in the last general election. Where do they stand now in the light of developments like the WAQF Amendment Bill? The minorities, especially the Muslims, have suffered the most in the RSS-BJP regime. The 2024 election was a reflection of that suffering. As long as Hindutva remains a dominant ideology, their suffering will prevail.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
India will fight terror with methods Pakistan 'can't imagine': Rajnath
India will use 'every method' to fight terrorism, including options "that Pakistan cannot even think of", said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday. Speaking to naval personnel aboard aircraft carrier INS Vikrant off the coast of Goa, Singh said the "dangerous game" of terrorism Pakistan has pursued against India since Independence is over. "We will use every method against terrorism that Pakistan can think of, but we will not hesitate to use those methods also which Pakistan cannot even think of." He called Operation Sindoor a frontal assault against terrorism, referring to the target military operation India carried out earlier in May. After terrorists killed 26 civilians in Pahalgam on April 22, India conducted coordinated missile strikes during the night of May 6–7, targeting nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Uproot 'nurseries of terrorism': Rajnath Singh to Pakistan Singh urged Pakistan to dismantle the terror infrastructure within its territory. "It would be in Pakistan's interest to uproot 'nurseries of terrorism' operating on its soil," he said. He warned that India reserves the right to act against terrorists. "Anti-India activities are being carried out openly from Pakistani soil. India is completely free to carry out any kind of operation against terrorists, both on this side and the other side of the border and sea," he said. "Today, the whole world is acknowledging India's right to protect its citizens against terrorism. Today, no power in the world can stop India from doing this work," he stated. Rajnath praises Indian Navy Commending the Indian Navy for its role in Operation Sindoor, Singh said, "The Indian Navy has impressed every Indian with its silent service. By remaining silent, the Indian Navy succeeded in keeping the Pakistani army tied down." He noted that while the Indian Air Force struck terror bases across the border, the Navy's strategic presence in the Arabian Sea ensured the Pakistani Navy remained confined to its own waters. India halted military action 'on our own terms': Rajnath Singh On the scale and impact of the operation, Singh stated, "Our strike was so powerful that Pakistan began pleading with the entire world to stop India." He added that the armed forces acted with " speed, depth, and clarity" in neutralising terrorist threats and dismantling their infrastructure. Operation Sindoor not only sent a clear message to terrorists but also to their patrons who nurture them, Singh said, noting that India halted its military action "on our own terms".
United News of India
an hour ago
- United News of India
Nitish slams opposition for doing nothing when they were in power in Bihar
Patna, May 30 (UNI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday alleged that nothing was done for anyone when opposition parties were in power in the state. Kumar while addressing a public meeting at Bikramganj in Rohtas district of Bihar, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the dais, said that nothing was done when opposition parties were in power in the state. After his government was voted to power in Bihar in 2005, many steps were taken to improve the condition of every section of the society, including the poor and women, he added. " Bihar was the first state in the country to provide 50 percent reservation to women in panchayati raj institutions and local bodies ", the Chief Minister said, adding that women were given 35 percent reservation in government services. Conditions for women had improved a lot due to the sustained efforts of his government, he noted. Kumar appreciated the support extended by the Centre under the regime of the Narendra Modi government for the accelerated pace of development of Bihar. Several projects for which the foundation stones would be laid and others which would be launched would help in the accelerated development of Bihar, he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who laid foundation stones of projects and also launched some other projects worth Rs 48,500 crores, through a remote button during the public meeting, said it was a day of ushering in a new era of development and prosperity for the people of Bihar. He appreciated Chief Minister Kumar for the good works being done by his government for the people of the state, which changed the scenario in the last two years since 2005 when the NDA was voted to power in the state. Projects launched and for which foundation stones were laid by PM Modi, are related to roads, power, railways, education, and other sectors, having a total cost of Rs 48,500 crores. UNI KKS BD`
