He was among 253 officer cadets, including 35 women, from the Short Service Commission (Technical) Men – 65 and SSC (Technical) Women – 36 courses who passed out on September 5

Lieutenant General Le Van Huong, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, reviewed the passing-out parade.

A story of excellence that began in the rank and file continued with the same inspiration and vigour as Lt P Sashi Kumar went on to win top honours after becoming an Army officer. Kumar, who had initially joined the Assam Rifles as a havildar, was awarded the Sword of Honour after being adjudged the overall best cadet at Officers Training Academy (OTA), Gaya.

Kumar, who held the highest cadet appointment of Academy Under Officer (AUO) during his training, was also awarded the gold medal for standing first in the order of merit. He was among 253 officer cadets, including 35 women, from the Short Service Commission (Technical) Men – 65 and SSC (Technical) Women – 36 courses who passed out on September 5.

Lieutenant General Le Van Huong, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, reviewed the passing-out parade. He also presented the silver medal to Deepak Singh Rawat and the bronze medal to Navneet Singh for securing second and third positions, respectively.

Located in Bihar, OTA Gaya trains officers for the technical stream. At a separate event at OTA Chennai, 342 cadets, including 29 women, along with 17 cadets from friendly foreign countries, were commissioned. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan was the reviewing officer. He presented the Sword of Honour to Lieutenant Gurkeerat Singh, who hails from Indore.

Born into the family of Naib Subedar C Pandi of the Army Ordnance Corps, Shashi Kumar grew up deeply inspired by the core values of courage, discipline and selfless service. He nurtured an unwavering, lifelong dream of wearing the coveted olive-green uniform, according to information shared by the Army Training Command.

Kumar completed his graduation and secured a prestigious and highly sought-after position at Tata Consultancy Services. However, he chose to answer his true calling of joining the Armed Forces rather than settle for a comfortable corporate career.

After joining the Assam Rifles, a Central Armed Police Force, as a havildar, he was awarded the Overall Best Recruit medal and served for two-and-a-half years in the counter-insurgency environment of Manipur. He later qualified in the Services Selection Board interview and joined OTA.

“His relentless hard work earned him the coveted and highest appointment of AUO at OTA. His journey exemplifies resilience, proving that unwavering determination and devotion to the right cause ultimately triumph over adversity,” the Army said.

A legacy of four generations

Among the newly commissioned lieutenants was Lt Sparsh Chhetri, an engineer from Thapar University, Patiala, who marked the continuation of a four-generation family legacy in uniform. Donning the olive-green uniform came naturally to him, following in the footsteps of his great-grandfather, who served in the British Indian Army; his grandfather and father, who were infantry officers; and his mother, who served in the Army Education Corps.

A computer science graduate, Sparsh left a flourishing career as a senior data analyst at a top multinational company to join the Indian Army. A versatile all-rounder, he is a national-level equestrian medallist, a district-level badminton and swimming medallist, a skilled marksman and a former NCC under officer. During his training at OTA, he held the appointment of Battalion Under Officer, reflecting his leadership qualities.

The passing-out parade also witnessed several stories of grit, resilience and determination, with cadets from diverse backgrounds overcoming odds to pursue their dreams of joining the Army.

From Agniveer to Lieutenant

Hailing from a small village in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, Lieutenant Vikas Gautam initially joined the Army as an Agniveer after completing his engineering degree in computer science. He served as a T-90 tank gunner with the Scinde Horse.

The discipline, teamwork and sense of responsibility instilled in him by the regiment strengthened his resolve to become an officer. At OTA, his achievements included leading the academy in cross-country and winning a gold medal, earning a merit card in physical training and becoming a record-holder in the battle obstacle course, the Army said.

Lieutenant Syed Abu Hurera, an engineer from Cuttack and the first person in his family to become an Army officer, is a national-level footballer and state-level athlete. His journey at OTA was severely tested when he sustained a serious ankle injury during training, resulting in medical relegation in his first term. He fought through the pain and showed remarkable patience to restart his training, later excelling in physical training by earning a merit card and a gold medal in athletics.

Sub-Inspector Raghvendra Jha of the Central Reserve Police Force’s CoBRA battalion also made the transition from a Java developer to an Army officer. Having served in Naxal-affected areas of Odisha and in the challenging counter-terrorism environment of Anantnag, he was awarded the Director General’s Commendation.