For third time this year, Punjab officer bags Sword of Honour

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Most officers from UP

As many as 325 gentlemen cadets, in addition to 70 foreign cadets from nine friendly countries, were commissioned as Lieutenants

With 50 officers, Uttar Pradesh had the highest tally, followed by Haryana (45) and Bihar (32)

Punjab shared the seventh place alongside Kerala with 15 officers each

Among foreigners, 41 were from Afghanistan and 17 from Bhutan

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 12

For the third time this year, a cadet from Punjab has bagged the prestigious Sword of Honour for being adjudged as the overall best cadet of his batch during pre-commission training in an Army institution.

The Sword of Honour for the Autumn Term-2020, comprising the 147th Regular Course (RC) and 130th Technical Graduate Course (TGC), was awarded to Lt Watandeep Singh Sidhu during the passing-out parade (PoP) held at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, on Saturday. He has opted for the elite Parachute Regiment.

The gold medal for standing first in the order of merit went to Lt Majji Giridhar, also the parade commander, while the silver medal for standing first from TGC went to Lt Jasminder Pal Singh Sidhu, who hails from Threeke near Ludhiana.

“It is a matter of great pride for our family and I am overjoyed at my son’s achievement. He had always wanted to join the Army,” Watandeep’s father, Baljinder Singh Sidhu, who works with the Punjab State Electricity Board, said.

In the PoP held at the IMA in June for the Spring Term-2020, the Sword of Honour was awarded to Lt Akashdeep Singh Dhillion from Tarn Taran, who also joined the Parachute Regiment. In March, the Officers Training Academy, Chennai, saw the Sword of Honour being awarded to Lt Harpreet Singh from Rupnagar, who was commissioned into the Scinde Horse, an elite cavalry regiment.

The year also saw another youngster from Haryana, Flying Officer Anurag Nain, who hails from Hisar but studied in Delhi, bagging the Sword of Honour at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal, in June.