The passing out parade of 399 cadets of the Navy and the Coast Guard who completed their training was held at the Indian Naval Academy (INA) here on Saturday.
The parade marked the commissioning of the cadets of the second B.Tech graduate course (85th Indian Naval Academy Course) into the Navy and the Indian Coast Guard.
The cadets belonged to the four courses of the Autumn Term 2013, namely the 85th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC), 85th Integrated Cadet Course (ICC), 16th Naval Orientation (Extended) Course, and the 17th Naval Orientation (Regular) Course. Those commissioned included 28 female cadets.
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In his address after reviewing the parade, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral D.K. Joshi said the cadets had immense responsibility to ensure security of the country. The training had groomed them to have managerial acumen and military leadership skills, he said reminding them that service would not judge them by their qualification alone but by their efficiency.
Admiral Joshi awarded medals to meritorious cadets. The President’s gold medal for the cadet adjudged first in the overall order-of-merit of the INAC course was awarded to Squadron Cadet Captain Kiran T. Anil and the Chief of the Naval Staff gold medal for the cadet adjudged first in overall order-of-merit for the Naval Orientation (Extended) Course was awarded to probationary Sub Lieutenant Avijit Mishra.
Probationary Sub Lieutenant Kritika Sharma was awarded the Chief of the Naval Staff gold medal for the cadet adjudged first in overall order-of-merit for the Naval Orientation (Regular) Course and also the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (South) gold medal for the best female cadet of the course.
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Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, Vice-Admiral Satish Soni and INA Commandant Vice-Admiral Pradeep Chauhan were present. Also present was INA Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor Rear Admiral G.V. Ravindran.
Naval and Coast Guard Dornier aircraft flew past the parade ground to mark the conclusion of the passing out parade.
The parade was followed by the ceremony of ‘shipping-of-stripes’ when the cadets’ parents/ guardians fixed the Naval/ Coast Guard epaulets on shoulders of their children/ wards who passed out.