Determined walk

Giving more details about the camp,Training Officer Col AK Singh says,“We had girls (cadets) coming in from the seven divisions across the state. The main aim was to shortlist cadets determine the state team. There were competitions held in six disciplines namely those of Advanced Rifle Shooting,Map reading and Judging Distance,Obstacle Course,Field Signal,Health and Hygiene and Live area and Tent Pitching.” While a total of 80 girls have been shortlisted for the advanced camp,only 40 will make the final cut,Singh informs. The cadets from Kolhapur Group lifted the overall trophy for the best group with the girls from Pune coming in second.

At the award ceremony that was held on Monday,Major General Yashwant Singh ADG Maharashtra Directorate,spoke about the glorious tradition of the state Directorate. “We have been the best directorate in the country for the last two years and we aim to continue this tradition this year too,” he says. Over the last two years the state has been adjudged the best directorate at the national Thal Sainik Camp,under the PM’s banner.

The girls from Pune won a total of seven individual medals and two trophies in the Map reading and the Obstacle Course finishing in a close second behind Kolhapur. Lance Corporal Anagha Nalawankar who won a medal at the Advanced Rifle Shooting competition says,“The competition aimed at bringing out the best in all the girls and winning it was very special. And even though we couldn’t win the overall championship this time we hope to do the same the next year.” The girls were instructed by Sub Maj K Shankar (overall incharge),Sub Sanjay Zanjurne (Physical obstacles),Hav. Pundlik Yallari (Firing,Map reading),Hav Prakash Lonar (Judging Distance) and Sub Dalbir Singh (Field Signal),while Col GK Pandey was in charge of the Pune Group.