The profession of soldiering is the noblest of all professions that gives one a unique opportunity to don the uniform and serve the motherland with selfless devotion, Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande said on Saturday.

”It (soldiering) is a career, driven by a sense of purpose and demands sacrifices from you, beyond the call of duty. In the years ahead, your resilience, determination and unwavering resolve, will be the bedrock upon which the Indian Army will continue to make the tricolour proud, in all its pursuits,” he said while reviewing the Passing Out Parade (POP) of ‘Gentleman Cadets’ at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun.

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A total of 374 Gentleman Cadets of 152 Regular Courses and 135 Technical Graduate Courses, including 42 Gentleman Cadets (GCs) from seven friendly foreign countries successfully passed out from the portals of IMA. Parents and family members of the passing-out Gentleman Cadets also attended the event and solemnised the pipping ceremony to witness the momentous occasion of their wards being granted Permanent Commissions into the Indian Army.

The POP marks the culmination of rigorous training at IMA, a premier institution imparting training in leadership, self-discipline and the art of war. The training at IMA is aimed at the optimum development of intellectual, moral and physical qualities essential for leadership in the profession of arms. Training at the IMA inculcates patriotism, character, dynamism, initiative and understanding that are the very basis of leadership in the Indian Army.

Lauding the parents of the cadets, Gen Pande said: “My compliments to the proud parents and guardians, for raising these fine men of character, who are today ready to be the guardians of the robust value system upheld by the Indian Army. Your role, contribution and continued support is acknowledged, without which this feat would not have been achieved. To transform these young boys into combat leaders has been our shared vision, and today, we see it happening before us. The nation will remain indebted for your valued contribution.”

The Army Chief also complimented the Gentleman Cadets from friendly foreign countries and said, “Let me congratulate all the 42 Gentleman Cadets from various Friendly Foreign Countries for having completed their training at the academy. I am sure, you as ambassadors of your country will carry back a treasure of good memories of the place and training with you and will cherish them forever. The Indian Military Academy has imparted training to you which forms a bedrock for your growth both professionally and personally and will definitely strengthen the friendly ties between our countries.”