Chief of Army Staff Manoj Pande on Saturday reviewed Indian Military Academy’s passing out parade in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun.
According to the official statement, 374 cadets from India and abroad passed out in the passing out parade of the Indian Military Academy (IMA) held on Saturday. These include 332 cadets from India and 42 from seven friendly countries. Army Chief Manoj Pande took the customary salute of the parade, the statement added. The coveted award of the Sword of Honour was presented to Academy Under Officer (AUO) Mihir Banerjee. While Gold Medal for the Gentlemen Cadet standing First in the Order of Merit was presented to Senior Under Officer (SUO) Abhimanyu Singh.
AUO Mihir Banerjee was also awarded the Silver Medal for the Gentlemen Cadet standing Second in the Order of Merit and BUO Kamalpreet Singh was awarded the Bronze Medal for the Gentlemen Cadet standing Third in the Order of Merit.
Also, the Silver Medal for the Gentlemen Cadet standing First in the Order of Merit from the Technical Graduate Course was presented to Junior Under Officer (JUO) Sury Bhan Singh.
Bangladesh Medal for the Gentlemen Cadet standing First in the Order of Merit from Foreign GCs was presented to Kinga Lhendup (Bhutan).
While Chief of Army Staff Banner was awarded to Cassino Company for standing Overall First amongst 12 companies for the Spring Term 2023.
IMA came into existence on October 1, 1932. In the last 91 years, the Academy has increased its training capacity from 40 to 1650 Gentleman Cadets.
According to the IMA, so far more than 64 thousand Gentlemen Cadets have passed out from the academy. It also includes foreign cadets from friendly countries. Senior officers of the army, guests from India and abroad and relatives of cadets are also included in the passing out parade.
As per an official statement, Horse-drawn carriages will no longer be seen in the passing out parade of the Indian Military Academy. Till now the inspecting officers used to reach the parade ground in a four-horse cart (Patiala coach). The ex-Maharaj of Patiala gifted this wagon to the IMA in 1969.
The Indian Army has abolished colonial or old practices like baggi, pipe band etc. Under the order of the Ministry of Defense, this time the horse-drawn carriage has also been sent off from the IMA passing out parade, said an official statement.