Special Army Day Programme at College of Agriculture, Raipur; 13 Cadets Enrolled in Air Wing NCC

Raipur, January 2026 : A special programme was organised at the Swami Vivekananda Auditorium of the College of Agriculture, Raipur, on the occasion of Army Day. During the event, 13 male and female students selected for the Air Wing of the NCC were formally enrolled by pinning NCC badges on them.

The programme began with the rendition of “Vande Mataram” and the university anthem, followed by the welcome of the chief guest, Brigadier D.K. Patra, Group Commander, NCC, along with other dignitaries. The event was presided over by Dr. (Colonel) Girish Chandel, Vice-Chancellor of Indira Gandhi Agricultural University. Distinguished guests included Wing Commander Vivek Kumar Sahu, Commanding Officer, 3 CG Air Squadron NCC, Raipur. The guests were welcomed with bouquets and mementoes.

In her welcome address, Dr. Aarti Guhe, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Raipur, extended a warm welcome to all guests and urged students to move ahead in life with discipline, determination, dedication and commitment. Colonel Lokesh Deva, an alumnus of the university and Administrative Officer, 7 CG NCC Battalion, Bilaspur, shared his experiences and motivated the youth to serve the nation.

Wing Commander Vivek Kumar Sahu informed that the 13 cadets from the College of Agriculture were selected through a three-tier selection process for the Air Wing NCC. The selected cadets were then formally enrolled by being presented with NCC badges.

Presiding over the programme, Vice-Chancellor Dr. (Colonel) Girish Chandel congratulated the selected cadets and described the achievement as a matter of pride for the university.

In his address, Chief Guest Brigadier D.K. Patra appreciated the university’s military background and encouraged students to explore various avenues of service to the nation, especially options like the National Defence Academy (NDA). He emphasised the importance of readiness for sacrifice, struggle and challenges, cultivating good habits, taking risks, and learning an additional language apart from Hindi and English.

At the end of the programme, Dr. Major G.K. Shrivastava delivered the vote of thanks. The programme was conducted by Dr. Niyati Pandey, Officer Commanding of the college’s 8 CG Girls Battalion.

Several eminent personalities, including Dr. Lieutenant Colonel Dharamveer Singh Chauhan, Deputy Director, AIIMS Raipur; Dr. N.V. Ramana Rao, Director, NIT Raipur; Dr. Krishnadatta Chavali, Dean Student Welfare, AIIMS Raipur; along with university deans, department heads, faculty members, officers and a large number of students, were present on the occasion.