The culmination of training for 317 midshipmen and cadets of the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard, including a cadet from Tanzania, was marked by a passing-out parade at the Indian Naval Academy here on Monday.
The midshipmen and cadets belonged to four courses of Autumn Term 2018, namely, Indian Naval Academy Course (BTech), Indian Naval Academy Course (MSc), Naval Orientation Course (extended) and Naval Orientation Course (regular). They included 16 women cadets. The parade was reviewed by Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command.
Vice Admiral Chawla awarded medals to nine meritorious midshipmen and cadets after the ceremonial review. In his address to the passing out midshipmen and cadets, he called upon them to imbibe the core values of Indian Navy, namely duty, honour and courage. Sudhir K. Jain, Director, IIT Gandhinagar, Vice Admiral R.B. Pandit, Commandant, INA, and senior officers of the station were present.
Medals awarded
The ‘President’s Gold Medal’ for the Indian Naval Academy BTech course was awarded to midshipman Vikrant Nagpal. The ‘Chief of the Naval Staff Gold Medal’ for the Naval Orientation (Extended) Course was awarded to Cadet Hrushikesh Vengurlekar. The ‘Chief of the Naval Staff Gold Medal’ for the Naval Orientation (Regular) Course was awarded to Cadet Samson Moses and the ‘Flag Officer Commanding in Chief (South) Medal’ for the best women cadet was awarded to Cadet Anuradha.
The outgoing cadets were given farewell by cadets of junior terms who manned the mast. A batch of three naval Dornier aircraft from Indian Naval Air Squadron 550 carried out a low fly past over the quarterdeck welcoming the new officers to the Navy. On completion of the parade, the guardians of the cadets shipped the Naval, and Coast Guard, epaulettes, known as ‘Stripes’ on the shoulders of their wards.
