139th passing out parade of National Defence Academy held on November 7
The Passing Out Parade of 139th Course was conducted at Khetarpal Parade Ground, NDA, Khadakwasla on 7 November 2020. Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) reviewed the parade. The CAS has also served as Commandant NDA from Aug 2014 -Jan 2015.
A total of 540 cadets participated in the parade of which 302 cadets were from the 139th course. This included 222 Army cadets, 45 Naval cadets and 35 Air Force cadets including 17 cadets from Friendly Foreign Countries (Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Maldives, Bhutan, Tanzania, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Myanmar). The cadets will proceed for eight weeks of term break and thereafter join their respective Pre-Commissioning Training Academies. Cadets of the junior courses will report back to the NDA on 04 Jan 2021.
The conduct of Parade was suitably modified so as to ensure COVID-19 related precautions and thus the parents could not be invited for the ceremony. However, the event was covered LIVE on Television and social media.
The Reviewing Officer also presented awards to the cadets. Battalion Cadet Captain Anirudh Singh won the President’s Gold Medal for standing first in the overall order of merit. Divisional Cadet Captain Somay Badola won the President’s Silver Medal for standing second in the overall order of merit and Battalion Cadet Captain Anmol won the President’s Bronze Medal for standing third in the overall order of merit. ‘India’ Squadron bagged the prestigious ‘Chiefs of Staff Banner’, for being the Champion Squadron which was presented during the parade.
