city anchor: NDA to make a digital archive of data since 1949

A Multimedia Aided Archiving of Historical Data at NDA is under way at the academy. According to a Request for Proposal (RfP) issued by the NDA,the task is expected to cover data generated till December 31,2012 and will cost approximately Rs 60 lakh.

According to the RfP,work to digitise 33,375 e-dossiers in the form of micro films,60,000 pages of bio-data and final reports and 6,000 videos and sounds is to be undertaken at NDA. These numbers can be imagined in the backdrop of the history of the iconic institution that dates back to 1949 when the academy was conceptualized as the Joint Services Wing (JSW) in Dehradun and shifted to its present location in Khadakwasla in 1954-55. Over 2,000 cadets train at NDA at a given point of time in 16 squadrons. The increasing number of cadets resulted in formation of the 17th and 18th squadrons,Quebec and Romeo. According to data available on the official NDA website,the academy has till date given 23 chiefs of staff, eight generals,six air chiefs and eight admirals,including the present chiefs to the nation. Humongous yet interesting data is generated in the academy in every course,which is every six months. The academy generates approximately 2,400 e-dossiers,200 photos,that of the Passing out Parade (PoP),VVIP visits,squadrons,training activities,sports activities besides others. Ten PoP videos besides 40 of visits by delegations and dignitaries,awards,competitions and speeches form part of NDA’s documents every six months.

The project,the brainchild of NDA commandant Lt Gen Jatinder Singh,has been conceptualised to reduce overall cost of handling documents besides speeding up the process,making all documents amenable to easy search and retrieval and improved handling of documents and information,says the RfP document. While NDA authorities confirmed that the project has been conceptualised,a reply from the academy to a letter dated April 11 is still awaited.