MANGALDAI, June 8 - Setting a new record in the 61 years old glorious history of National Defence Academy (NDA), a young and dynamic cadet Captain Avinash 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.
According to the information, Cadet Captain Avinash Chhetry is the second from the north-eastern region to receive the PGM after Yumnam Romen Singh of Manipur who received the PGM in 2008. The prestigious PGM was awarded to Avinash 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. He also received a silver medal for being the best cadet in outdoor training.
The passing out parade was organised in a befitting manner on May 31 in presence of a number of senior army officials and proud parents of the cadets. This year, in total 312 cadets of the 130th course of the NDA passed out after three years of rigorous training. As many as 42 cadets from friendly foreign countries like Bhutan, Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, Sudan, Tajikistan, Kyrgystan and Tonga also took part in the passing out parade at Khetrapal ground of NDA at Khadakwasla near Pune in Maharastra.
Born on October 11, 1995, to the family of Purna Bahadur Chhetry of Chanmari in Tezpur, presently serving as the Assistant Director in Bureau of Police Research and Development in New Delhi on deputation, and his wife Anjana Chhetry, Avinash studied Class I and II in Don Bosco, Tezpur.
However, following the transfer of his father, who was the Joint Area Organiser of SSB, to Bihar, Avinash got admission directly into Class IV in DAV Public High School in Bihar skipping the Class III for the extra ordinary merit. Following his father�s transfer again to Assam, he studied Class VI in Kendriya Vidyalaya, CRPF, Khanapara, in Guwahati and Class VII in Kendriya Vidyalaya at Solmara in Tezpur.
In pursuit of his strong determination to join the Air Force he topped the entrance examination in the lone seat reserved for Assam in Rastriya Indian Military College (RIMC), Dehradun, and completed his education from Class VIII to XII in RIMC.
During his days in RIMC, Avinash changed his mind to join the Indian Army and got selected for the NDA. Avinash also secured the gold medal in Boxing, Athletics and Firing during his days in NDA and also awarded the certificate of proficiency in Arabic language from the School of Foreign Language. This energetic youth with an outstanding merit also got selected for a short-term course in National Defence Academy at Yokosuka in Japan.
It is worth mentioning that his father Purna Bahadur Chhetry, a few days ago, also received the Indian Police Medal for his extraordinary 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 Arunachal Pradesh has been awarded the Lachit Borphukan award instituted at the initiative of the then 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.
