The Soldiers Who Know No Fear
Tons Polo Ground
Every Gentleman Cadet can invite four family members to the passing out parade. Families from various parts of India start arriving in Dehra Dun two, three days in advance, visit their wards and see the Academy during the day.
On the evening before the parade, parents armed with cameras arrive at the Tons (named after the Tons river) polo ground to see their sons perform in the equestrian display.
Lieutenant General K K Khanna -- the Commandant of the IMA who graduated from the Academy in 1967 and has over 100 hours of flying -- appears in the finale in a microlight aircraft display along with a Gentleman Cadet.
Having fought militants in Manipur and Mizoram and commanded the Rashtriya Rifles in Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, General Khanna feels his cadets are well trained in battlecraft.
"Physically, mentally and intellectually they are prepared to command a company in any operation -- be it on the Line of Control, counter insurgency, defensive or offensive."
Counterinsurgency, the Commandant reveals, is a major package at the Academy. The cadets are briefed on the causes of insurgency and participate in exercises on how to neutralise a terrorist after gaining intelligence.
"We have a large number of decorated officers here who have taken part in operations," says General Khanna. "We inform the cadets about the actual situation. When they go from here we expect that they are given training in battle schools before being inducted into the actual area because situations are not the same everywhere and the peculiarities of the region has to be put forward to a junior or senior officer."
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