The NDA and CDS are important institutions in military education. It is a prestigious military institution that draws the brightest young people from our country and friendly other countries and develops them into officers and gentlemen. For many of us, joining this institution and receiving instruction from it to serve the country is the fulfillment of a lifelong desire. Here are some of the interesting facts about the NDA and CDS exams.
Interesting Facts about NDA
The NDA Academy is unique compared to other National Defence Academies. The institution is renowned for producing some of the top officers in the Indian Armed Forces. It carries on the tradition by developing the officers’ leadership and combat abilities and teaching them new war strategies. These are a few of its distinctive and elite characteristics of it:
- NDA Academy is the first academy in the world where cadets of Tri-Services (Air Force, Navy, and Army) train together.
- The main building of the academy, known as Sudan block, was constructed from the money received from Sudan as a gesture of respect towards the sacrifice of Indian soldiers who fought from its side in World War Two.
- The first batch of 190 cadets started training in the academy in 1949.
- NDA has given more than 33 Chiefs of Armed forces. The current Chiefs of Staff of the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force all are NDA alumni from the same course (Course No. 56).
- Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to enter space on Russian Spacecraft, was also a graduate of NDA.
- NDA trains cadets from more than 28 nations, including Afghanistan, Maldives, Vietnam, etc.
- Three officers from NDA have posthumously received the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest wartime gallantry award. All three were from the Army.
- Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (alumnus of NDA’s 77th Course) is India’s first individual Olympics medal winner(2004). He serves the nation as the minister of state for the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in the Government of India.
- NDA has a museum over an area of 18,000 sq ft. It is the largest Service Museum in the country, having 16,000 rare exhibits arranged in four extensive galleries and halls.
- Academy has a stadium known as Bombay stadium in recognition of the generosity of the erstwhile state of Bombay, which gifted 8022 acres of land at Khadakwasla. It has a seating capacity of approximately 5000 spectators. Athletics, cricket, mass PT, continuity drill display, and the end-of-term Tattoo Show are held at this venue.
Interesting Facts about CDS
The three service chiefs would continue to advise the defense minister on issues only relevant to their respective services, the army, navy, and air force, even though the CDS would serve as the primary military adviser on all tri-services affairs. The following are some CDS-related facts:
- To offer the political leadership unbiased counsel, the CDS will not hold any military authority, including over the three service chiefs. The CDS would be the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and lead the department of military affairs (CoSC). Up until now, the senior-most service chief held the position of CoSC chairman in a rotating fashion for brief intervals, but this system was deemed inadequate.
- One of the most important recommendations made by the K Subrahmanyam-led Kargil Review Committee (KRC) was the appointment of a CDS. The KRC was established shortly after the 1999 Kargil war to investigate the failures that allowed Pakistani soldiers to occupy strategic heights, the initial sluggish Indian response, and to recommend steps to strengthen national security. In February 2000, the KRC report was presented to Parliament.
- A year later, in February 2001, the then-prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee received the report of a Group of Ministers (GoM) led by then-home minister LK Advani. The KRC suggestions were considered when the GoM was established in April 2000 to review the national security system, and it suggested that a CDS be chosen. However, after consulting with several political parties, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) determined that the appointment of a CDS would be handled later.
- The CDS will participate in the Defense Acquisition Council and Defence Planning Committee, just like the service chiefs. After leaving the CDS position, he won’t be qualified to occupy any other posts in the government. Additionally, he won’t be able to work in the private sector without permission for a five-year term.
