On the 23rdday of February, 2020, the second-year students of SOL, NMIMS, Navi Mumbai had the immense privilege to visit the National Defence Academy at Pune. After about a two-hour long travel, the students witnessed the beautiful landscapes of the Academy and the messages of "Service before Self” and "Creating Gentlemen and Warriors”, and were greeted by student ushers who would be accompanying the students throughout the visit.
Upon reaching the Habibullah Hall, the students were shown a documentary on the Academy and its training procedures over the six terms that the 2100 cadets undertake. The specific training for the Navy as well as the Air Force were shown. The cadets are taught various foreign languages like Urdu and French. They do not have access to personal technology but the Beas library is said to have wi-fi for academic research purposes. The documentary showed how the "foundation of virtues” are laid at the Academy. The virtues include leadership and comradery amongst many others. The cadets are known to graduate with "moist eyes and pride in their hearts”.
After viewing the documentary, the students were directed towards a Museum, also known as the "Motivation Centre”. The museum displayed various memorabilia gifted by various foreign dignitaries, along with the various flags captures, badges earned awards won by the cadets and the Academy. The students were then directed to the Sudan Block where the usher, Cdt. Ketan Patial (a fourth term cadet), informed the students on the historical and architectural specifications of the Sudan Block like the history as well as the funding and the four flags at the entrance of the building (the Air Force flag, the Army flag, the Indian Tricolour, the Navy flag, and the NDA flag), as well as the surrounding structures and buildings like the Salaria Square. He also shared his personal experience at the nine thousand-acre Academy like his experience winning the Championship with his squadron course mates. The Championship includes various events along with the academic results of the squadrons.
The students then visited the Cadets Mess which has the capacity to seat around two thousand cadets at once where the food is served to all within the period of forty minutes. Events like the NDA Ball and various special dinners are conducted during which, meals are eaten on the beat of the drums. Cadets may then visit the internal market for their needs. The students of NMIMS were then shown the Equitation Training arena where cadets are trained to ride horses and compete in various contests like the Thimayya Polo Cup. This training area had stables, the Central Riding Arena, Lunging Arena, and some memorials for horses that have served the Academy like Black Velvet and Prithviraj. There were displays of the "Oath for Personnel dealing with Army Animals”, "parts of a bridle” and "points of a horse”.
The visit ultimately came to an end and the students of NMIMS were extremely honoured, inspired and motivated by this experience at this prestigious institution.
