Battalion Cadet Captain (BCC) Rohit Kajla, winner of the prestigious President’s Gold Medal and first in the overall order of merit of the National Defence Academy’s historic 150th Course, says his journey to becoming the Academy’s top cadet was inspired by a lifelong dream of serving in the Indian Army.
Hailing from Jhajjar, Haryana, Kajla completed his schooling at Rashtriya Military School Bengaluru before joining the National Defence Academy.
“I had always wanted to join the Indian Army, and this was my planned career path from the beginning,” Kajla said after the Passing Out Parade held at the Khetarpal Parade Ground in Khadakwasla.
The young cadet credited his father as his earliest source of inspiration.
“My father inspired me to join both the school and, subsequently, the Army. My first motivation was my father. My second source of motivation was my school, where I developed a military bearing at Rashtriya Military School, Bangalore,” he said.
Having topped the NDA’s overall order of merit, Kajla now looks forward to joining the Infantry, one of the Indian Army’s most demanding and prestigious combat arms.
“I look forward to joining the Infantry,” he said.
Reflecting on his three years at the Academy, Kajla described the NDA experience as transformational.
“All the activities and experiences at the NDA have not only shaped us but have transformed us in every possible way—mentally, physically and emotionally,” he said.
Discussing modern military training at the Academy, Kajla highlighted the NDA’s emphasis on preparing future officers for technology-driven warfare.
“The NDA is well equipped with modern equipment. I will give you some examples such as HSTI, laser range finders and drone systems, which you may have seen in the demonstration at the training display,” he noted.
Kajla also praised the performance of women cadets at the Academy, stressing that they should be viewed simply as cadets rather than being differentiated on the basis of gender.
“There are many achievements by female cadets, and I would like to add that we should call them cadets, as they are performing equally well as us,” he said.
The emotional highlight of the occasion, however, was sharing the achievement with his parents, who witnessed him receive the highest honour awarded to a graduating NDA cadet.
“It cannot be expressed in words; it is completely exceptional. But I am really enjoying it. It is very good, and I could see the pride on my parents’ faces. That is the best feeling I have experienced,” Kajla said.
As the recipient of the President’s Gold Medal, Rohit Kajla now moves on to the next phase of his military journey, carrying forward the NDA’s legacy of leadership, excellence and service to the nation. His story stands as an inspiration for young defence aspirants across the country who dream of wearing the uniform and serving India with distinction.
