Tribune News Service Chandigarh June 12 As many as 12 alumni of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI) Mohali were commissioned as Lieutenants from the Indian Military Academy (IMA) Dehradun on Saturday. These cadets had joined the institute in 2015 as part of the Fifth AFPI Course for two years. They were selected to join the National Defence Academy Kharakvasla in 2017 as part of the 138th NDA Course and on completion of three years of training proceeded to the IMA for the final year of pre-commission training. The passing out parade at IMA today for the Spring Term – 2021 which comprised the 148th Regular Course and 131st Technical Graduate Course was reviewed by the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Command Lt Gen RP Singh. Among the alumni was Lt Loveneet Singh who was awarded the bronze medal for standing third in the order of merit. Maj Gen BS Grewal (retd) Director AFPI said so far 162 cadets from the first eight courses at AFPI have joined NDA or other service academies and of these 83 have already been commissioned in the Armed Forces. This includes 68 in the Army eight in the Navy and seven in the Air Force. Two more cadets are expected to join the Air Force on June 19. He added that from this year AFPI has commenced the long-awaited Cadet Training Wing programme which envisages reaching out to selected schools in Punjab for training and motivating their students for joining the armed forces. Over 100 students studying in classes 11 and 12 have already enrolled in this venture which is expected to substantially increase the number of young men joining the armed forces. Currently three courses are undergoing training at AFPI. The Ninth Course of 39 cadets has completed its two years of training recently. Selected cadets of this course will be joining the NDA shortly. The Tenth Course of 50 cadets is now studying in Class 12 and will be appearing for the NDA entrance exam in September this year while the Eleventh Course of 42 cadets commenced training last month. Since March last year all training at AFPI has been in the online mode because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This severe restriction notwithstanding the Institute has been able to send as many 28 cadets to service academies from January 2020 to May 2021. AFPI alumni have distinguished themselves by winning various awards and medals during training in academies and have also been decorated for gallantry in various operations including the recent stand-off with China in the Galwan Valley.

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