A journey of grit: Manipur village girl is now an officer in Indian Army

CHENNAI: Hailing from a small village in Manipur, Senior Under Officer Ch Enoni passed out from Officers Training Academy (OTA) Chennai and joined the Indian Army as an officer on Saturday.

"Senior Under Officer CH Enoni passed out from OTA Chennai with flying colours. Hailing from a small village in Manipur, her journey to become an Indian Army officer has been full of grit and determination," the Indian Army said.

Coming from a remote village named 'Ralunamei' in Manipur, CH Enoni said that joining the NCC was the first step that inspired her to join the army.

"When I was in 8th grade, NCC was allowed for girls too, so I thought to give it a try. Then, after joining the NCC junior wing, I got interested. I thought of going higher. I went to Delhi and joined the NCC senior wing, and that's how I got inspired to join the Army," CH Enoni said.

A spectacular military parade on the Parmeshwaran Drill Square at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai marked the commissioning of several gentlemen and lady cadets into the Indian Army on Saturday.

These cadets, who belonged to the SSC-116 and SSC (W)-30 and equivalent courses, had undergone rigorous training over a period of 11 months to reach this momentous occasion.

Meanwhile, the breathtaking drill of officer cadets marching to enthralling martial tunes left the audience captivated.

According to an official release, a total of 161 gentleman cadets of the SSC-116 and 36 women cadets of the SSC (W)-30 courses were commissioned into various arms and services of the Indian Army. Four male cadets and eight female cadets from friendly foreign countries also completed their training. Bhutan: 6 (women), Maldives: 2 (men), Tanzania: 4 (2 women and 2 men).

The parade was reviewed by Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande, who also presented the Sword of Honour to BUO Nakka Naveen, the OTA Gold Medal to ACA Sudeep Kumar Sahu, the Silver Medal to BCA Dushyant Singh Shekhawat, and the Bronze Medal to AUO Jyoti Bisht.

Addressing the newly commissioned officers on the occasion, Indian Army chief Gen. Manoj Pande said, "Gender has no boundaries when it comes to serving the nation. The profession of soldering is not just a career but a dedication that goes far beyond the uniform. (ANI)

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