Bhubaneswar: As many as 127 NCC cadets (80 boys & 47 girls) from Odisha have been selected to participate in the Republic Day Camp (RDC) in New Delhi from December 27 to 29.
The cadets will also represent the state at the Republic Day Parade and the NCC PM’s rally in the national Capital. The contingent has been chosen from among nearly 64,000 NCC cadets. Among the selected ones, 112 cadets belong to college NCC wing (71 boys and 41 girls), while 15 cadets are from school NCC wing.
Prior to the departure, 127 cadets along with 10 supporting staff underwent one month of intensive training at Nabarangpur to prepare for the prestigious national event. The cadets interacted with Higher Education (HE) Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, who encouraged them and wished them success.
Addressing the cadets, the minister said that the discipline, dedication and commitment of NCC cadets towards national unity and integrity are a source of inspiration for everyone. He expressed hope that participation in the RDC would be a memorable and enriching experience for all the cadets and said it was a matter of pride for Odisha that its cadets would represent the state at such a national platform.
The minister further stated that efforts are underway by the HE department to increase the number of NCC cadets in state, enhance women’s participation in NCC and to establish NCC battalions for women in the state. Odisha NCC Directorate Deputy Director General, Commodore Vikram Singh, presented a detailed overview of NCC activities in the state and thanked the minister for the initiatives taken to strengthen NCC and motivate cadets.