In a deviation of sorts, all the Gentleman Cadets (GC) awarded medals for excellent performance in the passing out contingent of spring term 2019 were from non-army background. Sword of honour and bronze medallist Akshat Raj belongs to Bihar, gold medallist Surendra Sigh Bisht from Almora and silver medallist Kaushlesh Kumar Sinha from Gaya in Bihar. Incidentally, all were first in their families to become officers in Indian Army.
Sword of Honour and Bronze Medallist Akshat Raj commissioned in Garhwal rifles was a topper in the prestigious Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) and got President’s gold medal in year 2018 in NDA.
When asked that what the training in IMA was like, he said, “It was vigorous. They keep you busy all the time, and make you mentally and physically prepared for everything and anything. Motivated and dedicated that’s how we live here.” Gold Medallist Bisht has been assigned Parachute Regiment. On Saturday, he was accompanied by his grandparents, parents and several other family members. His father Bhopal Singh Bisht does a private job in Ghaziabad. Coming from a financially lower middle class background, he said,” My father had the responsibility of a joint family, after getting selected as an officer, I will now become his helping hand.”
Speaking further about his inspiration, he said “I have always been a video games enthusiast. The enthusiasm came out from the digital world to the physical one, and here I am. Three years in NDA and one at IMA, it is better than the digital world.”Silver medallist Kaushlesh Kumar Sinha has been commissioned into 20-Rajputana Rifles. He hails from Gaya, Bihar. His father used to work for Ambuja cement in Bihar.
When asked about the inspiration behind choosing Army he said, “I never thought about being in Army, now I cannot think of being anywhere else.I only got serious about after clearing NDA written exam.” “No one, not even a distant relative is in Army, Air force or Navy in our family. I am the first one.” He added