Clubbing Delights

When I joined NDA I was prepared for a tough regimented life with no time for any other activity. So, I was pleasantly surprised when in first term we were asked to choose a club to join.

I never expected NDA to allow us to go to clubs, being a fauji kid clubs had been a part of my growing up, and here again I was getting an option to join a club..... That’s what I joined fauj for..... Party Time... Ya ya

The story of a few camps and many cramps : an account of training camps at NDA

1992

No story of any academy is ever complete without going through the camps that are designed to toughen up a cadet to the levels required by a soldier to survive the vagaries of the battlefield. Waise that can also be done by getting them all married, as an after effect of which they would prefer the battlefield any time, survive they will somehow.

All cadets go through a series of camps designed to train them for specific terrain, operations and weather........ Ok.... This is getting all to technical....... Camp matlab a test of your physical and mental endurance. These are organised once in every two terms.

Each camp requires a cadet to prepare himself adequately to be able go through it without any incident. The strength of the bond between course mates is decided during these outings and the real character of each cadet is fully exposed.

The beginning - joining NDA

Prelude

I know you all must be thinking "why has he not started his blog with this, why now'..... Because I am like that only..... Confused, just like I was in my 12th and college. College!! Well yes, I was in final year of BSc when I joined NDA.

Till 12th I aimed to become a doctor, thought of becoming a biologist, practiced electronics and dreamt of flying. My confusion ensured that i did not clear the medical entrance and had to join college in Shillong. My father was posted to Eastern Air Command.. The session for 1st year there ended in December and the 2nd year started in Feb, BSc was of 2 years only. so by default i reached final year within 6 months.

Horsing around - a tale of equestrian delights

 Author : Salil Prashar


NDA boasts of adventure sports/ sports facilities which would put any institution in the world to shame, like equestrian, water sports, flying etc. For similar facilities people in the civil world have to pay through their nose, but in NDA they are free of cost and compulsory to boot.

Thum khali ek do - Drill ki kahani

 Author : Salil Prashar

'Thum khali ek do'

Anyone who has gone in through the portals of any academy of any service is automatically transported back to those days on hearing this command.

Drill is a ritual which is blended by the academy into our fauji fibre..... The technique of blending is varied but follows the simple principle of "atomic restructuring using variable stress technology"..... Yani ki..... Boot. Boot sirf pehan ne ke liye hi nahi istemal hota, when planted properly it can be used to reorient your molecular structure. During drill if your boot is missing or its  'nail and naal' (nail here means nail and naal means more nails and not the punjabi wala naal) is missing you get a boot in the drill square from Drill Ustad.