95 cadets of Navy, Coast Guard finish training

KOCHI: As many as 95 officer cadets of the eighty-first Integrated Course of the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard successfully completed their afloat training on board the First Training Squadron at the Southern Naval Command on Saturday. The passing-out parade was reviewed by Vice-Admiral M P Muralidharan, Chief of Personnel of the Indian Navy. During the 24-week ship phase of the training, the cadets were exposed to various facets of seafaring and life on board a warship. In addition to port calls at various Indian ports on either coast, ships of the Training Squadron also visited the ports of Muscat, Abu Dhabi and Al Jubail as part of the training. During the visits to the ports of friendly  countries, the cadets interacted with their counterparts there and also visited their training facilities. The First Training Squadron comprising Indian Naval ships, Tir, Krishna, Tarangini and Indian Coast Guard Ship Veera is commanded by Captain Sanjiv Issar.Addressing the parade, Vice-Admiral Muralidharan, who is also the first Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, pointed out the rigours of sea training. He said that such baptism by fire is imperative as the sea is an unforgiving task master. A number of senior officers, including Rear Admiral Sudarshan Shrikhande, Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command, were also present during the passing-out parade. Cadet Tapesh Singh was awarded the Chief of Naval Staff Trophy and Binoculars for standing first in the overall order of merit. Cadet Sandeep Kumar Khuntia received the Telescope for the Best All Round Cadet. Assistant Commandant Rahul Lodhi was awarded the trophy for standing first in the order of merit from the Indian Coast Guard. The cadets will now join the frontline ships of Western and Eastern Fleets and Coast Guard ships for the next stage of training.