Pune — The National Defence Academy (NDA) recently celebrated the Convocation Ceremony of its 149th Course at Habibullah Hall, a significant event that embodies the culmination of the academic and professional journey for future leaders of the Indian Armed Forces. The ceremony was graced by Dr. Ajay Kumar, Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), who addressed an audience composed of cadets, faculty, officers, and family members.
Dr. Kumar was warmly welcomed by Vice Admiral Anil Jaggi, Commandant of the NDA. During the proceedings, Dr. Vinay Deep, the Officiating Principal, presented the Academic Report for the Autumn Term of 2025, emphasizing the notable achievements and academic excellence attained during this period.
In his Convocation Address, Dr. Kumar extended his congratulations to the cadets for their successful completion of rigorous training at one of the globe’s most esteemed tri-service academies. He praised their dedication, discipline, and resilience, highlighting the pressing responsibilities they must undertake as Scholar-Warriors in an intricate and rapidly evolving security landscape. Dr. Kumar also expressed sincere gratitude towards parents for their unwavering encouragement, recognizing their vital role in nurturing a sense of honour and commitment to national service in their children.
A total of 328 cadets graduated as part of the 149th Course, with 216 receiving Bachelor’s Degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Among them, 72 cadets excelled in the Science stream, 92 in Computer Science, and 52 in the Arts stream. Additionally, 18 cadets from Friendly Foreign Countries were honored with degrees, reflecting India’s ongoing dedication to enhancing defense cooperation and building international military training partnerships.
Furthermore, 112 B.Tech cadets from the Navy and Air Force were awarded certificates upon completing their three-year course. They will be conferred B.Tech degrees following an additional year of training at their respective pre-commissioning academies: the Indian Naval Academy in Ezhimala and the Air Force Academy in Hyderabad.
The ceremony underscored NDA’s commitment to academic excellence, character development, and comprehensive growth. Several cadets were recognized for their exceptional accomplishments:
– Cadet Kartik Maheshwari of ‘M’ Squadron achieved top honors in the Science Stream with a Final Grade Point Average (FGPA) of 8.11, earning the Commandant’s Silver Medal and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Rolling Trophy, established by General K. Sunderji (Retd).
– Cadet Ananya from ‘G’ Squadron led the Computer Science Stream with an FGPA of 8.36, receiving the Commandant’s Silver Medal and the Admiral’s Rolling Trophy, awarded by Admiral Sureesh Mehta (Retd).
– First place in the Social Science Stream was earned by Cadet Anurag Gupta of ‘B’ Squadron, who attained an FGPA of 7.44, receiving the Commandant’s Silver Medal and the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Trophy from Air Chief Marshal NC Suri (Retd).
– Cadet Vishwesh Bhalerao of ‘F’ Squadron topped the B.Tech Stream with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 8.05 across six semesters, receiving the Commandant’s Silver Medal and the CISC Trophy presented by HQ Integrated Defence Staff.
As the ceremony wrapped up, the auditorium was filled with applause for the graduating cadets, who are now set to embark on the next chapter of their military careers — prepared to serve, lead, and uphold the esteemed standards of the Indian Armed Forces.
