Passing out parade for Autumn term 2018 held at Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala

A spectacular Passing out Parade (POP) held at Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala today, Monday, 26 November 2018, marked the culmination of training for 317 Midshipmen and cadets of Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard including one International cadet from Tanzania.

The passing out Midshipmen and cadets belonged to four different courses of Autumn Term 2018, viz., 95 Indian Naval Academy Course (BTech), 95 Indian Naval Academy Course (MSc), 26 Naval Orientation Course (Extended) and 27 Naval Orientation Course (Regular).  The parade also saw 16 female cadets marching shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts to join the ranks of the Indian Navy.

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The grand parade was reviewed by Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla, AVSM, NM, VSM, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, who awarded medals to nine meritorious Midshipmen and cadets after the ceremonial review. The Reviewing Officer, in his address, congratulated the passing out courses and advised them to imbibe by the core values of Indian Navy “Duty, Honour and Courage”. Dr Sudhir K Jain, Director, IIT Gandhinagar, Vice Admiral RB Pandit, AVSM, Commandant, INA, senior officers of the station and outstation dignitaries witnessed the momentous occasion.

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 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.

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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 cadets of junior terms who manned the mast and 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 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 / establishments to further consolidate their training in specialised fields.