Assamese cadet sets a record in the history of NDA

Avish Chhetry of Tezpur become the first Assamese to receive President's Gold Medal

From our Correspondent

MANGALDAI, June 7: Creating a record in the 61 glorious history of tiol Defense Academy (NDA), a young and dymic cadet Captain Avish Chhetry of Tezpur in Sonitpur district has emerged as the first Assamese youth to receive the President's Gold Medal (PGM) as the best cadet and to command the passing out parade (POP) in the NDA.

Cadet Captain Avish Chhetry is the second from the north-eastern region to receive the PGM after Yumm Romen Singh of Manipur who received the PGM in 2008. The prestigious PGM was awarded to Avish Chhetry for standing first in the overall order of merit. For his performance as the best all-round army cadet, another gold medal was also awarded to him while he also received a silver medal for being the best cadet in outdoor training.

The passing-out parade was organized in a befitting manner on May 31 in NDA in presence of a number of senior army officials and proud parents of the cadets. This year a total of 312 cadets of the 130th course of the NDA passed out after three years of rigorous training. Fourty-two cadets from friendly foreign countries like Bhutan, Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, Sudan, Tajikistan, Kyrgystan and Tonga also took part in the passing out parade arranged at Khetrapal ground of NDA at Khadakwasla near Pune in Maharastra.

Born on October 11, 1995 to the family of Pur Bahadur Chhetry of Chanmari in Tezpur, currently serving as the Assistant Director in Bureau of Police Research and Development in New Delhi on deputation and his wife Anja Chhetry, Avish, after completing his nursery classes from Sacred Heart Montessori School, studied Class I and Class II in Don Bosco, Tezpur and following the transfer of his father, who was the Joint Area Organizer of SSB to Bihar, Avish got admission directly into Class IV in DAV Public High School in Bihar skipping the Class III for the extra ordiry merit. Following his father's transfer again to Assam, he completed Class VI in Kendriya Vidyalaya, CRPF, Khapara in Guwahati and Class VII in Kendriya Vidyalaya at Solmara in Tezpur.

With the high ambition to join the Air Force, he topped the entrance examition in the lone seat reserved for Assam in Rastriya Indian Military College (RIMC), Dehradun and completed his education from Class VIII to Class XII in RIMC. During his days in RIMC, Avish changed his mind to join the Indian Army and got selected for NDA. Avish also secured the gold medal in boxing, athletics and firing during his days in NDA and was also awarded the certificate of proficiency in Arabic language from the School of Foreign Language. This energetic youth with excellent merit was also selected for a short term course in tiol Defense Academy at Yokosuka in Japan. Mention may be made here that his father Pur Bahadur Chhetry few days back also received the Indian Police Medal for his extraordiry service while his younger brother is also preparing for the NDA.

On the other hand, in the passing out parade of the NDA, Cadet Captain Ligang Kobing of Ziro in Aruchal Pradesh was awarded the Lachit Borphukan Award instituted at the initiative of former Governor of Assam Lt. Gen. (Rtd) SK Sinha. The Lachit Borphukan Award was awarded to Ligang Kobing for being the best cadet in officer like quality.

This significant achievement attained by Assamese youth Avish Chhetry has been termed as a source of inspiration and encouragement for the younger generation of the State as well as of the NE region. Cadet Captain Avish Chhetry is likely to join the Indian Military Academy (IMA) within a short period. Avish is willing to join the Gorkha Regiment preferably and he is ready to serve the people of Assam as an Army officer.