1.             At an spectacular Passing out Parade (POP) held at Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala here today, Wednesday, 22 November 2017, 328 cadets of Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard and two International cadets one each from Tanzania and Maldives passed out of the hallowed portals of INA on successful completion of their training.     

2.         The passing out Midshipmen and cadets belonged to four different courses of Autumn Term 2017, viz., 93 Indian Naval Academy Course (BTech), 93 Indian Naval Academy Course (MSc), 24 Naval Orientation Course (Extended) and 25 Naval Orientation Course (Regular).  Also graduating and marching shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts were 20 female cadets from the Indian Navy. 

3.         The grand parade was reviewed by the Admiral Sunil Lanba, PVSM, AVSM, ADC, Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS). The Admiral after the ceremonial review, awarded medals to 09 meritorious Midshipmen and cadets. The reviewing officer in his address congratulated the passing out courses and advised all of them to imbibe and follow the core values of Navy “Duty, Honour and Courage”. Vice Admiral SV Bhokare, AVSM, YSM, NM, Commandant, senior officers of the station and others witnessed the momentous occasion.  The Passing out Parade was also witnessed by the proud parents and guardians of all successful Midshipmen and cadets, as well as by a large number of local and outstation dignitaries, trainee recruits and staff from Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Peringome, cadets of Sainik School Satara, Maharashtra, Sainik School Bhubaneshwar, Odisha National Cadets Corps (NCC) cadets, media personnel and students and teachers of local schools and colleges.

4.         The ‘President’s Gold Medal’ for the Indian Naval Academy    BTech course was awarded to Midshipman Rishav Saha. The ‘Chief of the Naval Staff Gold Medal’ for the Naval Orientation (Extended) Course was awarded to Cadet Anil Choudhary. The ‘Chief of the Naval Staff Gold Medal’ for the Naval Orientation (Regular) Course was awarded to Cadet Gaurav Tyagi. The ‘Flag Officer Commanding in Chief (South) Medal’ for the best women cadet was awarded to Cadet Anjani Pandey.

5.         The glittering ceremony culminated with the successful Midshipmen and cadets forming up in two columns and marching with their gleaming swords and rifles held in salute, past the Academy’s Saluting Dias known as the Quarterdeck, in Slow March, to the traditional notes of ‘Auld Lang Syne’, the poignant farewell tune played by all Armed Forces around the world when bidding adieu to colleagues and comrades. Passing out courses were bid farewell by cadets of junior term who manned the mast as the successful cadets streamed past the sacred quarterdeck.

6.         On completion of the parade, the ‘Shipping of Stripes’ ceremony was conducted.  The proud parents and guardians of the Passing Out courses shipped the Naval and Coast Guard epaulettes, popularly known as ‘Stripes’ on the shoulders of their wards, thus symbolising their transformation from ‘cadets’ into full-fledged Navy and Coast Guard Officers.  The Reviewing Officer and other dignitaries shipped the stripes of the medal winners and congratulated all the trainees for their successful completion of the rigorous training.  On completion of the training at the Indian Naval Academy, these officers will proceed to various Naval and Coast Guard ships / establishments, to further consolidate their training in specialized fields.

RG Ajith