1. In a spectacular Passing out Parade (POP) held at Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala, on Saturday, 25th May 2019, 264 trainees comprising Midshipmen and cadets of Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, and ten international cadets passed out with flying colours, marking the culmination of their ab-initio training.
2. The passing out Midshipmen and cadets belong to four different courses of Spring Term 2019, viz., 96th Indian Naval Academy Course (B.Tech), 96th Indian Naval Academy Course (M.Sc), 27th Naval Orientation Course (Extended), 28th Naval Orientation Course (Regular) and 28th Naval Orientation Course (Coast Guard). The parade also saw 15 female cadets marching shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts to join the ranks of the Indian Navy. The ten trainees from various friendly foreign countries include two trainees each from Maldives, Myanmar and Seychelles, one trainee from Tanzania and three trainees from Sri Lanka. The passing out batch of Sri Lanka trainees have the distinction to be the first batch of foreign trainees to complete the four years B.Tech curriculum from INA, ever since its institution.
3. The parade was reviewed by General Bipin Rawat, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, ADC, Chief of the Army Staff, who awarded medals to eight meritorious Midshipmen and cadets after the ceremonial review. Vice Admiral RB Pandit, AVSM, Commandant, INA, Dr Anurag Kumar, Director, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, senior officers of the station and other outstation dignitaries witnessed the momentous occasion.
4. The Passing out Parade was also witnessed by the proud parents and guardians of all Midshipmen and cadets. The ‘President’s Gold Medal’ for the Indian Naval Academy B.Tech course was awarded to Midshipman Killamsetty Vikash. The ‘Chief of the Naval Staff Gold Medal’ for the Naval Orientation Course (Extended) was awarded to Cadet Siddharth Sankar. The ‘Chief of the Naval Staff Gold Medal’ for the Naval Orientation (Regular) Course and the ‘Zamorin Trophy’ for the best women cadet (instituted for the first time) was awarded to Cadet Kreeshma R. The other medal winners are as follows:-
(a) CNS Silver medal for INAC B.Tech Course (Second in merit) – Midshipman Samartha Ravindra Limaye.
(b) FOC-in-C South Silver Medal for NOC (Extended) (Second in Merit) – Cadet Gourav Sangwan.
(c) FOC-in-C South Bronze Medal for INAC B.Tech Course (Third in Merit) – Midshipman Kripa Sindhu Patel.
(d) Commandant INA Silver Medal for NOC (Regular) (Second in Merit) – Cadet Yugal Gautam.
(e) Commandant INA Bronze Medal for NOC (Extended) (Third in Merit) – Cadet Shreyash S Hanchinal.
5. The glittering ceremony culminated with the successful trainees forming up in two columns and marching with their gleaming swords and rifles held in salute, past the Academy’s Saluting Dias, the Quarterdeck, in Slow March, to the traditional notes of ‘Auld Lang Syne’, the poignant farewell tune played by Armed Forces around the world when bidding adieu to colleagues and comrades. Passing out courses were bid farewell by a batch of three MiG 29-K fighter aircraft in Vic formation led by Cdr Viaksh Narwal, NM from Indian Naval Air Squadron 303 who carried out a low fly past over the quarterdeck welcoming the new officers to the Navy and joined the celebrations with a bomb burst manoeuvre.
6. On completion of the parade, the proud parents and guardians of the Passing Out courses shipped the Naval and Coast Guard epaulettes, known as ‘Stripes’, on the shoulders of their wards, thus symbolising their transformation from ‘cadets’ into full-fledged Navy and Coast Guard Officers. The Reviewing Officer and other dignitaries shipped the stripes of the medal winners and congratulated all the trainees for their successful completion of the rigorous training. On completion of the training at the Indian Naval Academy, these officers will proceed to various Naval and Coast Guard ships and establishments to further consolidate their training in specialised fields.