President Murmu reviews NDA Passing out Parade in Pune: Here is all you need to know

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 graduate from India’s premier military academy, hailed as the cradle of military leadership, located overseeing the foothills of the Western Ghats of Maharashtra.

After graduating from the NDA, the cadets proceed to one more year of pre-commissioning training at the academies of their respective Armed forces – Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala located in the Kannur district of Kerala, the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun for the Army, and the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, located in Telangana.

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

The parade commences with the Marker’s Call, after which the contingent markers take their positions on the parade ground. In military parades, a contingent marker refers to a marching participant designated as a reference point within a contingent for alignment.

This is followed by the rest of the contingents exiting through the gates of the Quartermaster’s Fort. These cadets are accompanied by the Academy Adjutant astride on a charger. When the Spring Term of the NDA concludes around May’s end, the cadets wear white summer uniforms; when the Autumn Term concludes around November’s end, the cadets wear navy blue winter uniforms.

The line-ups of the NDA parades, renowned for the immaculate drill movements of the cadets, comprise not only the passing out cadets but also cadets from the junior terms. This year’s parade is special because some women cadets are also expected to be part of the line-up. Admitted in June last year, the first batch of girl cadets has a strength of 19 — 10 for the Army, six for the Air Force, and three for the Navy. The first batch of girl cadets is scheduled to graduate from the academy in the Spring Term of 2025.

After the cadets take their positions, the President’s Colours are brought onto the ground, with attendees, civilians, and service personnel offering honors by standing up and saluting respectively. President’s Colours or President’s Standard — ceremonial flags — are awarded by the Supreme Commander of the Armed forces in recognition of a unit’s services. With three cadets carrying Colours taking their position, the parade is all set for the review.

At this point, the Deputy Commandant and Commandant of the Academy arrive at the ground, followed by some military dignitaries. Subsequently, the Reviewing Officer (RO) — who, this time, will be the President of India — arrives. The RO’s arrival is marked by the first flypast of the parade, which consists of helicopters. The parade is punctuated by 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 line-up, 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 contingent passes the podium. The RO then pins medals on the medal-winning cadets of the academy and also honors the Campion squadron. The RO then addresses the parade and attendees.

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