There isn't anything to touch it, they say,
it's straight out of this world. You can go year after year to
watch cadets passing out
of the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, and still find it
as impressive, as
exciting, as touching as ever.
Spread before you that day on the huge parade ground would be the soon-to-be gentleman cadets, in well-creased uniforms, their backs straight, eyes steady, arms clasping the cool length of gleaming rifles.
Facing them, seated on both sides of the Quarter Deck under red-and-white canopies, with paper caps shading their eyes from the morning sun, would be the parents, brothers, sisters, girlfriends, uncles, aunts... All chic, all prouder than the proverbial peacock.
For the next one-and-a-half hours, the 1,000-odd cadets would go through their drills, brisk and smooth as the military tunes that punctuate the parade, left arms swinging wide, their polished-to-perfection boots glinting in the sun.
Finally, at 8.59 am, as the band strikes up Auld Lang Syne, the cadets would slow-march over the Quarter Deck, counting each step as they went, into the open, and move towards the Science block, still in formation.
But once they reach it, up would go their caps aspinning, there would be whoops of joy, shouts, laughter, and much, much merrymaking.
In a little while, however, they would troop out to meet their waiting relatives. There would be hugs, kisses, tears...
On December 6, when the 93rd NDA course experienced its gloriest moments, Rediff On The NeT's Chindu Sreedharan and photographer Jewella C Miranda were there to record it. And believe us, it was worth recording every bit!
Page design: Dominic Xavier
