राष्ट्रीय रक्षा अकादमी | |
 National Defence Academy | |
| Motto | सेवा परमो धर्मः |
|---|---|
Motto in English | Service Before Self. |
| Type | Defence Service training institute |
| Established | 7 December 1949; 75 years ago (1949-12-07) |
Academic affiliations | Jawaharlal Nehru University |
| Principal | Om Prakash Shukla |
| Commandant | Vice AdmiralAnil Jaggi |
| Location | Khadakwasla,Pune ,,India 18°25′20″N73°45′55″E / 18.42222°N 73.76528°E /18.42222; 73.76528 |
| Campus | Suburban, 7,015 acres (28.39 km2) |
| Deputy Commandant | Air Vice Marshal Sartaj Bedi,VM,VSM |
| Principal Director Training | Commodore Milind Mohan Mokashi,SC |
| Colors | Maroon[1] |
| Affiliations | Ministry of Defence |
| Website | nda.nic.in |
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TheNational Defence Academy (NDA) is the jointdefence service training institute of theIndian Armed Forces. Here,cadets of theIndian Army, theIndian Navy, and theIndian Air Force train together before they go on to their respective service academies for further pre-commission training. The NDA is located in Khadakwasla,Pune,Maharashtra. It is the first tri-service academy in the world.
The alumni of NDA include 3Param Vir Chakra recipients and 11Ashoka Chakra recipients. NDA has also produced 32 service chiefs of staff to date. When LieutenantGeneral Manoj Mukund Naravane got promoted to the Chief of Staff of theArmy (COAS) in 2019, chiefs of all staffs, i.e. theArmy, theNavy, and theAir Force were all NDA alumni from the same 61st course.[2][3] The 145th course graduated on 30 November 2023, consisting of 188 Army cadets, 38 Naval cadets, 37 Air Force cadets, and 20 cadets from friendly foreign countries.[4] TheSupreme Court of India passed an order in August 2021 that allowed female candidates to appear for the all upcoming NDA entrance examination.[5]
At the end ofWorld War II, Field MarshalClaude Auchinleck, then Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, drawing on experiences of the army during the war, led a committee around the world and submitted a report to theGovernment of India in December 1946. The committee recommended the establishment of a Joint Services Military Academy, with training modeled on theUnited States Military Academy at West Point.[6]
After theindependence of India in August 1947, the Chiefs of Staff Committee immediately implemented the recommendations of the Auchinleck report. The committee initiated an action plan in late 1947 to commission a permanent defense academy and began the search for a suitable site. It also decided to set up an interim training academy, known as theJoint Services Wing (JSW), which was commissioned on 1 January 1949 at theArmed Forces Academy (now known as theIndian Military Academy) inDehradun.[7][6] Initially, after two years of training at the JSW, Army cadets went on to the Military wing of theArmed Forces Academy for two years of further pre-commission training, while the Navy and Air Force cadets were sent toBritannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth andRoyal Air Force College Cranwell in the United Kingdom for further training.[6]
In 1941,Lord Linlithgow, the thenViceroy of India, received a gift of £100,000 from a gratefulSudanese Government towards building a war memorial in recognition of the sacrifices of Indian troops in the liberation of Sudan in theEast African campaign duringWorld War II. Followingpartition, India's share amounted to £70,000 (Rs 14 Lakh at the time; the remaining £30,000 went to Pakistan).[8] The Indian Army decided to use these funds to partly cover the cost of construction of the NDA.[8] The foundation stone for the academy was laid by thenPrime Minister of India,Jawaharlal Nehru on 6 October 1949.[8] Construction started in October 1949. The revised estimated cost for the whole project was Rs 6.45 crores respectively.[9][10] TheNational Defence Academy was formally commissioned on 7 December 1954, with an inauguration ceremony held on 16 January 1955.[11][12][better source needed] The 10th JSW program was transferred from Clement Town, Dehradun to NDA Khadakwasla. It is the first tri-service academy in the world.
The NDA campus is located about 17 km southwest ofPune city, northwest of Khadakwasla Lake, with theSinhagad Fort providing a panoramic backdrop.[6] It spans 7,015 acres (28.39 km2) of the 8,022 acres (32.46 km2)[13] donated by the Government of former Bombay State. While many states had offered land for a permanent place for the academy, Bombay got the honor of donating the most land, including a lake and neighboring hilly terrain.[14] The site was also chosen for its proximity to theArabian Sea and other military establishments, an operational air base nearby atLohagaon as well as the salubrious climate. The existence of an old combined-forces training center and a disusedmock landing ship,HMS Angostura, on the north bank of the Khadakwasla Lake which had been used to train troops for amphibious landings, lent additional leverage for the selection of the site.[6]
The administrative headquarters of the NDA was named theSudan Block, in honor of the sacrifices of Indian soldiers in the Sudan theatre during theEast African campaign. It was inaugurated by then Ambassador of Sudan to India, Rahmatullah Abdulla, on 30 May 1959.[8] The building is a three-story basalt and granite structure constructed with Jodhpur red sandstone. Its architecture features an exterior design comprising a blend of arches, pillars, and verandahs, topped by a dome. The foyer has white Italian marble flooring and paneling on the interior walls.[8]NDA has an excellent infrastructure for the all-round training of cadets and a vast array of facilities like spacious and well-maintained classrooms, well-equipped labs, three Olympic size swimming pools, gymnasiums, 32 football fields, two polo grounds, a cricket stadium, and several squash and tennis courts.[15] The academic year is divided into two terms, viz. Spring (January to May) and Autumn (July to December). A cadet must undergo training for a total of six terms before graduating from the NDA.
The Commandant of the National Defence Academy is the head and overall in-charge of the academy. The Commandant is athree-star rank officer from the three Services in rotation.[16]Major GeneralThakur Mahadeo Singh,DSO was the first commandant of JSW at IMA.Major GeneralEnaith Habibullah was the last head of the JSW and the First Commandant of NDA at Pune.
Applicants to the NDA are selected via a written exam conducted by theUPSC every year, followed by extensive interviews by theServices Selection Board coveringgeneral aptitude,psychological testing, team skills, leadership qualities as well asphysical and social skills, along withmedical tests. Incoming classes are accepted twice a year for semesters starting in July and January. About 4,00,000 applicants sit for each written exam every year. Typically, about 6,300 of these are invited to interview and finally, 300-350 are selected to attend the course. The minimum age should be16+1⁄2 years and maximum age should be19+1⁄2 years. The number of students who were admitted to the Joint Services Wing of the National Defence Academy during 1953-54 was 572. The total number of applications received in UPSC was 6,061.[17][additional citation(s) needed]
Applicants who join the Air Force through the flying branch also go through a test called Computerized Pilot Selection System or CPSS for short.[18]
Cadets who are accepted and complete the program are sent to their respective training academies for at least one year of training before granting of commission: army cadets go toIndian Military Academy (IMA) atDehradun, air force cadets toAir Force Academy (AFA) atDundigal, Hyderabad, and naval cadets toIndian Naval Academy (INA) atEzhimala, Kerala.[19]
A cadet is allotted to one of the 18 Squadrons.[15]
Each squadron has approximately 100 to 120 cadets drawn from junior and senior courses under training in the academy.
As the number of cadets joining the NDA increased annually, the Defence Ministry of India sanctioned the raising of 16th, 17th, and 18th squadrons in 2012, with the initial letter of their names being "P", "Q" and "R" respectively.[20][21]
The prestigious Inter Squadron Championship Trophy is awarded to the best squadron. The champion squadron has the proud tradition of possession of the Champion banner for one term, which is carried during the parade and other sports meets. Each squadron has its nickname, an individual identity with a richly textured history, and a mascot. The rudimentary import of the NDA's motto "Service before Self" is first taught in the environs of the squadron, where a cadet learns the importance of putting the squadron's requirements well above his own.[22]
The cadets in the NDA live by a strict honor code that guides them through their rigorous training schedule. They are trained to live a disciplined life.
The NDA Prayer is a religionagnostic. Rather than praying to God of any specific religion, the prayer has been modeled to seek blessings for performing duty to the country and remain morally straight. The prayer also seeks blessings for granting opportunities of service to the country and the men the cadets would go on to lead and overall to place 'service before self'.
Source:[23]
The NDA offers only a full-time, residential undergraduate program. Cadets are awarded aBaccalaureate degree (aBachelor of Arts or aBachelor of Science) for Army Cadets and aBachelor of Technology degree for Naval and Air Force Cadets after 3 years of study. Naval cadets complete their fourth year of B.Tech. fromIndian Naval Academy, while Air Force cadets complete their fourth year of B.Tech. from theIndian Air Force Academy. Further, the Cadets have a choice of two streams of study. TheScience stream offers studies inphysics,chemistry,mathematics andcomputer science. TheHumanities (Liberal Arts) stream offers studies inhistory,economics,political science,geography andlanguages.
In both streams, academic studies are split into three categories.
Cadets spend the first four semesters on theCompulsory Course and theFoundation Course. They take theOptional Course during the fifth and sixth semesters. They may transfer to other Service academies for the optional courses.
All the cadets joining the NDA after their 10+2 Examination are trained in the academy for three years culminating in graduation withBachelor of arts or aBachelor's of science or BCs (Computer Science) degree ofJawaharlal Nehru University &University of Delhi; the first course to be awarded degrees was the 46th course in 1974.[11][24] Apart from academic training they are also trained in outdoor skills, likeDrill,PT and games; apart from one of the foreign languages up to the lower B1 level (according to the international standards).[citation needed]
Cadets are imparted with basic military skills of weapon handling, firing, field engineering, tactics, and map reading. The learning imparted acts as a foundation for the army cadets for their further training at IMA and various service courses. The method of training imparted is both theoretical and practical which includes classes, lectures demonstrations, and exercises for further application of acquired knowledge on the ground.
Camp Green Horn[13] is conducted during the second term for cadets. Camp Rover[25][13] is conducted during the fourth term for cadets. In the sixth term Camp Torna,[11][13] "recalling the first victory ofShivaji, a teenager"[26] is conducted, where practical aspects are reinforced in simulated field conditions. The cadets are provided with opportunities to demonstrate leadership qualities in various tactical situations.
The Air Force Training Team (AFTT)[11] aims at training Air Force cadets in the basics of military aviation through ground training and flying training. Ground training is conducted with the help of modern training aids, aircraft models, and cross-sectional models of aero-engines and instruments, Radio Telephony simulators, Flight simulators and other methods. Flying training consists of a minimum of eight sorties on the Super Dimona aircraft. Cadets also get exposure to deflection firing throughSkeet shooting.[27] Visits to key Air Force training establishments, Air Force Stations, and civil aviation centers are also undertaken to give cadets first-hand experience of aviation activities. Visits toAir Force Academy, Air Wing at Indian Armament Technology, Air Base at Pune, andCollege of Military Engineering are organized to enable the Air Force cadets to appreciate the Air Force aspects. Flying training at the AFTT is fully backed by an Automatic Weather Station, an Air Traffic Control Station, a paved runway, and dispersal for six aircraft.
The AFTT was formed towards the end of 1956. The AFTT aims to introduce the VI Term cadets to gliding and allied professional subjects, which in turn prepares them for their professional training in the Air Force flying establishments. Over the last 60 years, gliding training has evolved into flying training. Five different classes of gliders were acquired by the academy in 1957. They areSedberg T-21B, Baby Eon,Eon Olympica,Rohini andArdhra gliders. All these gliders except the Baby Eon and Eon Olympics were utilized in the flying training of the cadets. The Sedberg T-21B was the mainstay of the AFTT in glider flying with each cadet being permitted a total of 60 training launches, after which 2-3 mandatory Solo Check launches were flown with the Chief Flying Instructor (CFI). Cadets cleared for solo flying flew one solo trip on the glider and were then formally awarded their 'Wings', exactly half the size of the official Indian Air Force wings, which were worn above the left shirt pocket of their formal uniforms. Sandbags were used as ballast in place of the absent instructor.
The cadet who went solo with the lowest number of launches was usually awarded the Best In Gliding Trophy on the Guest Dining-in Night, one night before the Passing Out Parade. The Air Force cadet who stood first in Ground Subjects was awarded the Sqn Ldr Vasudev Memorial Book Prize that same night. The induction ofSuper Dimona in 2001 was a watershed moment in the history of AFTT introducing a huge jump in the quality of training. A"gliderdrome" runway was widened to 100’ and extended to 5000’ from earlier dimensions of 50’X 3000’ which is maintained within the premises of the NDA by the AFTT. The Air Force cadets of the academy now learn the basics of flying training at this facility on theDiamond Super Dimona HK36 aircraft.[28][failed verification]
The Naval Training Team (NTT)[11] is the oldest of the Training Teams at the NDA. The main task of the Naval Training Team is to train V and VI term naval cadets on Specialist Service Subjects both theoretical and practical.[29] Naval cadets on completion of their 3 years of training go toIndian Naval Academy (INA) as their finishing academy for 1 year, where they commence their M.Sc. degree along with cadets of INA who will be doing B.Tech. From 2015 army and air force cadets get naval training as well.[29]
The major emphasis is laid on Navigation, Seamanship, and Communication. A total of 328 theoretical classes are conducted for VI term naval cadets. Theoretical instructions are imparted in the classroom at NTT andPeacock Bay by using modern teaching methodology where-in3D models,Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) andComputer Based Training (CBT) packages, scaled-down models are used. Practical instructions are imparted in the Watermanship Training Centre at Peacock Bay during regular periods and club days. TSRonnie Pereira, the in-house scale model of a warship helps in imparting training.[30]
To orient the cadets to the navy, an orientation visit to Mumbai is conducted before the commencement of service training; during which the cadets visit various classes of ships, submarines, shop floors, repair facilities, etc. As part of the visit, the naval cadets are sent to NBCD School to acquaint themselves with firefighting damage control aspects. Further, to inculcate competitive spirit and adventurism amongst the cadets, VI term naval cadets are sent to the Naval Academy, Ezhimala to take part in the Open Sea Whaler Sailing Expedition and interact with their counterparts at the INA.
Camp Varuna during the middle of the term to get a first-hand experience on board during sailing and Camp Varuna II at the end of the term to put the theoretical knowledge acquired at NTT into practical use during the three days' sailing. Watermanship Training Centre includes Yachting, Kayaking, Windsurfing, Rowing, Water-skiing, and Ship Modeling.[29]
On 30th May 2025, 336 cadets passed out of the academy during thepassing-out parade of the 148th course of the academy. Among the 336 cadets, 17 were with female cadets, it was the first time for female cadets graduating from the National Defence Academy. Former COAS and Governor of Mizoram GeneralVK Singh was the chief guest for the occasion.[31]
The first NDA cadet to be commissioned into the Indian Air Force was Chaman Lal Gupta, who was part of the inaugural 1 JSW Course. Initially earmarked for the 57th Pilot Course in Jodhpur, he was rerouted to the 56th Course at Begumpet, making him the first NDA alumnus to wear Air Force blue. His passing out was memorably marked by the gift of a double ostrich egg to his Commandant — a nod to his origins at NDA and his singular place in IAF history.[32]
Alumni of the academy have led and fought in every major conflict in which India has participated since the academy was established. They have an illustrious record of numerous gallantry awards and achieving 3Param Vir Chakras, 31Maha Vir Chakras, 160Vir Chakra, 12Ashok Chakras, 40Kirti Chakras and 135Shaurya Chakras.[33][failed verification] 11Chiefs of Army Staff, 10Chiefs of Naval Staff and 4Chiefs of Air Staff of the Indian Armed Forces have been NDA alumni.[34][2]
Over the years, specific NDA squadrons have developed reputations for producing a significant number of senior Indian Air Force officers and gallantry awardees. According to one historical analysis, Hunter Squadron has produced more IAF Chiefs than any other, while other squadrons like Alpha and Foxtrot have also yielded high numbers of decorated air warriors.[35]
The Standard Bearers, adocumentary directed and written by Dipti Bhalla and Kunal Verma provides an inside look into the history and operations of the NDA. Another documentary filmMy Flag, My Life written by Ambarnath Sinha and directed by Nandan Khuhyadi and Sanjay Dabke, provides details about the life of NDA cadets and is intended to create awareness about a career in the armed forces among the young generation.[36][37][verification needed] Books depicting NDA include thefictional "Boots Belts Berets" by Tanushree Podder, which is also being adapted into aweb series.[38]Outlook reported that over 1200 cadets quit NDA in ten years between January 2008 and November 2017.[39]
...Lieutenant General or equivalent is appointed as the Commandant.
| Education & training |
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| Tri Service | |||
| Indian Army | |||
| Indian Air Force | |||
| Indian Navy | |||
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