342 receive OTA training; commissioned as officers in the Indian Army

Newly commissioned officers at OTAs on Saturday. | Photo credit: J. Johan Sathyadas

Homemaker Rigzin Ladol and her retired teacher and husband Tundup Tsering from Zanskar district in the Union Territory of Ladakh stood proudly next to their 24-year-old daughter Stanzin Tsangyang at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai on Saturday morning. Their daughter completed her training and was drafted into the army as a lieutenant.

Lt Stanzin Tsangyang was among the 342 persons who completed their training and were commissioned as officers during the Passing Out Parade (POP) at OTA. “I was interested in sports and was in NCC during my studies. I was interested in joining the army,” says the engineering graduate. “She is the first in my family to join the army,” says her father, Mr Tsering.

Like Ms Tsangyang, Lieutenant Ritika Dubey, from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, is the first in her family to join the armed forces. Lts Mohit Arora, Prashant Gurung and MR Raswanth were also there, following their family’s tradition of serving in the army. In addition, 17 cadets from friendly foreign countries such as Bhutan, Eswatini, Lesotho, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe also underwent training on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Chief of the Naval Staff, reviewed the parade at the Parameswaran Drill Square. During his speech, Mr. Swaminathan said, “Courage is a muscle. It gets stronger every time you use it. Whether physical or moral, courage is more often than not the ability to stand up for your convictions. It cannot be withdrawn in a crisis; it is built and ingrained over time in the small decisions we make every day.”

The nature of warfare may have changed in many ways, but at its core, war has remained a profoundly human endeavor, the chief of the naval staff said. “Combat operations may use new weapons in new areas, but their results will continue to be determined by the men and women who fight, lead, inspire, persevere and persevere.”

He presented the prestigious ‘Sword of Honour’ and Bronze Medal to the Battalion under Officer Gurkeerat Singh Hora, Gold OTA Medal to NCO Abhinab Chauhan and Silver Medal to Adjutant Cadet Academy Niket Singh Tomar.

Published – 06 Sep 2026 01:05 IST