5 CADETS OF THE 201315 BATCH HAVE BEEN COMMISSIONED AS LIEUTENANTS IN ARMY, WHILE FIVE OTHERS HAVE TAKEN OVER AS FLYING OFFICERS IN IAF
MOHALI : Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI) on Wednesday honoured its 20 cadets of the 2013-15 batch who have been commissioned into the Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) this year.
RAVI KUMAR/HTNewly commissioned officers of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute in Mohali on Wednesday.Out of 20, 15 cadets have been commissioned as lieutenants in the Army, while five others have taken over as flying officers in IAF.
After getting trained in the third course of AFPI, the cadets went for three-year training to National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune. The 15 candidates, who have been commissioned as lieutenants, further underwent one-year training at Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, while the others pursued oneyear training at IAF Academy, Dundigal, Telangana.
119 FROM AFPI CRACKED NDA ENTRANCE SO FAR So far, seven batches have completed their training at AFPI. From the first six batches, 119 cadets have joined NDA and other service academies for further training. 55 out of the 119 cadets have been commissioned into various forces, while remaining 64 are undergoing training at NDA.
This year, 17 students of the seventh batch have cracked the entrance examination of National Defence Academy with Govind Gupta and Kushal Sharma, both from Patiala, securing fourth and 11th ranks, respectively. The 17 students are expected to join NDA later this month.
Gagandeep Singh Dhami, who belongs to Hoshiarpur and has topped the course as a fighter pilot, said, “Achieving such great heights was only possible because of AFPI. If they wouldn’t have groomed us well, we would have not been here.”
As many as 152 officers from all over India were commissioned into the IAF during a passing-out parade at Dundigal academy on June 15.
AFPI director BS Grewal said he was happy that Punjab government had started a venture that is giving wings to the youths to fly high.
“We will continue to train them (youths) with zest so that institutes produce more officers who will make the nation proud,” he said.
At present, AFPI is conducting the training of eighth and ninth batches. Students of the eighth course are studying in Class 12 and will appear for the National Defence Academy entrance examination in November this year.
The preparatory institute was set up by the government of Punjab in 2011 to train youths from the state for defence forces.
The first batch passed out in April 2013.
SHEMROCK SCHOOL HONOURS CADETS
Shemrock School, Sector 69, which had enrolled the 20 cadets for the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) examinations, also felicitated them on Wednesday.
School chairperson Amarjit Singh Bajwa said, “They (cadets) have made us and this institution proud. They have now become an inspiration for others,” he said.
SANGRUR FARMER’S SON DONS ARMY OFFICER’S UNIFORM
MOHALI: Hardships did not deter the confidence and dreams of Harpreet Singh Somal, a Sangrur farmer’s son, who has been commissioned as a lieutenant in the Indian Army.
The 22-year-old who hails from Sangrur’s Kanakwal village, underwent training at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI), Mohali, from 2013 to 2015. He was among the 20 other cadets who were felicitated by AFPI on Wednesday.
Recalling his struggle, Somal said, “Being from a poor background, there were always financial issues at my home. But my parents supported me at every moment and encouraged me. Now, my aim is only to work for my nation and serve my country’s people.” Somal’s father Harbans Singh said he didn’t want to see his son in the same profession. “I always wanted to see him as an educated person and today, he has won my heart by becoming an officer,” he said. Somal underwent threeyear training at NDA, Pune, and one-year at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He was commissioned into the Indian Army during a passing-out parade at IMA on June 8.