NDA Passing Out Parade this year: All you need to know

The Passing Out Parade (POP) of the 144th course of the NDA will commence in the early hours of May 30 on Khetrapal Parade Ground of the premier tri-services academy located at Khadakwasla in Pune.

The NDA POP marks the culmination of the three-year-long, extremely demanding and arduous training at the academy. (Express photo, file)

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NDA Passing Out Parade this year: All you need to know

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On Tuesday morning, when the cadets of the 144th course of the National Defence Academy (NDA) march past the Quarterdeck flag mast on the Khetrapal Ground of the academy, they will also stand testimony to a major milestone of their alma mater. On January 16 this year, the tri-services academy began its Diamond Jubilee celebration in the run-up to January 16, 2024, when the academy will complete 75 years of its existence.

The Passing Out Parade (POP) of the 144th course of the NDA will commence in the early hours of Tuesday on Khetrapal Parade Ground of the premier tri-services academy located at Khadakwasla in Pune. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan — an alumnus of the 58th course of the academy — will be Reviewing Officer (RO) for the POP.

Here is all you need to know about one of the most prestigious military events in the country:

The NDA POP marks the culmination of the three-year-long, extremely demanding and arduous training at the academy. Each year, two courses of cadets pass out of India’s premier military academy, hailed as the cradle of military leadership. After passing out from the NDA, the cadets head out for one more year of pre-commissioning training at the academies of their respective Armed forces – Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala located in Kannur district of Kerala, Indian Military Academy in Dehradun for Army and the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, located in Telangana.

The parade takes place on the Khetrapal Ground of the NDA. The ground is named after Second Lieutenant Arun Khetrapal, a posthumous recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, who made the supreme sacrifice in the Battle of Basantar on the Battlefield of Shakargarh during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.

The parade commences with the contingent markers taking their positions on the parade ground. This is followed by the rest of the contingents coming out through the gates of the Quartermaster’s Fort marching. These cadets are accompanied by the Academy Adjutant astride on a charger. When the Spring Term course of the NDA passes out around May end, the cadets wear white summer uniforms, when the Autumn Term passes out around November end, the cadets wear navy blue winter uniforms.

The lineups of the NDA parades — which are known for the immaculate drill movements of the cadets — comprise not just the passing out cadets but also cadets from the junior terms. After the cadets take their position, the President’s Colours are brought onto the ground with attendees, civilians and service personnel, according honours by standing up and saluting respectively. President’s Colours or President’s Standard — which is a ceremonial flag — are awarded by the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces in recognition of a unit’s services. With three cadets carrying Colours taking position, the parade is all set for the review.

It is at this point that the Deputy Commandant and Commandant of the Academy arrive at the ground followed by the Army Commander of the Pune Headquartered Southern Command. Subsequently, the Reviewing Officer (RO) — who this time will be CDS General Anil Chauhan — arrives in a ceremonial buggy. The arrival of the RO is marked by the first flypast of the parade which is of helicopters. The parade is dotted by the impressive flypasts of helicopters, trainer aircraft and fighter aircraft including the frontline fighter jets of the IAF, Sukhoi-30 MKI.

The RO then reviews the parade by moving in a ceremonial car along the parade lineup, accompanied by the Commandant and the cadet leading the parade. The cadets then march forward to the martial tune of Kadam Kadam Badhaye Jaa and salute the RO as each of the contingent passes the podium. The RO then pins medals on the medal-winning cadets of the academy and also honours the Campion squadron. The RO then addresses the parade and attendees.

The last leg of the parade marks an emotional culmination of three-year-long arduous training at the academy for the passing out cadets. As the junior cadets participating in the parade march back to Quartermaster’s Fort, the passing-out cadets march past the Antim Pag — last step — at the Quarterdeck flag mast of the Khetrapal Ground with the lilting tune of the Auld Lang Syne played by the military band.

All three present service chiefs — Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Navy Chief Admiral Hari Kumar and Army Chief General Manoj Pande — are from the 61st course of the academy. In June last year, the NDA admitted its first batch of girl cadets. The first batch of girl cadets is slated to pass out from the academy in the Spring Term of 2025.