Passing out parade of first batch of Agniveers on March 28

The Passing Out Parade marks the successful completion of training of close to 2,600 Agniveers, including 273 women, currently undergoing training at INS Chilka

The Passing Out Parade of the first batch of Agniveers is slated to take place at INS Chilka on March 28, the Navy said on Saturday.

Traditionally, Passing Out Parades have been conducted in the morning hours, however, this historic POP is scheduled to be conducted post-sunset, a first of its kind in the Indian armed forces, officials said.

Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff will be the Chief Guest, and the Reviewing Officer of the POP, they said. The POP marks the successful completion of training of close to 2,600 Agniveers, including 273 women Agniveers, undergoing training at Chilka in Odisha.

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"The Passing Out Parade (POP) of the First batch of Agniveers is scheduled at INS Chilka on March 28," the Navy said in a statement.

As part of their transformation to sea warriors, the Agniveers underwent 16 weeks of ab initio training at INS Chilka, the premier sailors' training establishment of the Indian Navy.

The training at INS Chilka encompassed academic, service and outdoor training, based on the core Naval values of duty, honour and courage, it said.

The successful trainees would be deployed on frontline warships for their sea training, the Navy said.

This first batch of Agniveers also includes those Agniveers (men and women) who were part of the Indian Navy Republic Day Parade contingent on the Kartavya Path on January 26 this year, officials said.

On June 14, 2022, the defence minister and the three Service chiefs launched the Agnipath Scheme. In consonance with the central government's initiative of a pan-India merit-based Agnipath recruitment scheme, Indian Navy oriented its selection, training and deployment methodology to lay the foundation of a contemporary, dynamic, younger and technically equipped future-ready, the statement said.

"The Navy further leveraged this opportunity to commence the entry of women Agniveers; consequently, close to 2,600 Agniveers including 273 women Agniveers were inducted in the Indian Navy, and commenced their training at INS Chilka, in November 2022," it added.

This historic POP on March 28 would mark the culmination of 16 weeks of training for the first batch of Agniveers. Conduct of the maiden night POP in the presence of eminent veteran sailors, sportswomen of international repute and senior Naval officials would be a landmark moment for the first batch of Agniveers, the Navy said.

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Live streaming of the POP will take place on Indian Navy's YouTube channel and Instagram page, as well as on the Doordarshan Network, it said. Vice Admiral M A Hampiholi, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command would also be present on the occasion along with other senior naval officers and dignitaries, officials said.

"The POP is a momentous occasion for the trainees and a proud moment for their families. This is the first-ever passing out of the Agniveers from any training institution of the country post successful completion of ab initio training - a significant landmark towards a new beginning for the armed forces and the bation," the Navy said.

During the POP, deserving Agniveers would be presented awards by the chief guest in various categories. This year onwards, acknowledging the contribution of the first Chief of Defence Staff, late Gen Bipin Rawat, towards the transformational Agnipath scheme; the Indian Navy has instituted the Gen Bipin Rawat Rolling Trophy for the 'Woman Agniveer Trainee Standing First in Overall Order of Merit'. This trophy would be presented to the deserving woman Agniveer by the daughters of Gen Rawat, it said.

To commemorate this landmark event and motivate the Agniveers, for the first time, the POP is being attended by eminent veteran sailors who have excelled in their service as well as post-retirement careers, and eminent sportswomen have been invited to the POP as guests of honour.

PT Usha, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), who is popularly known as the 'Queen of Indian Track and Field' and President of the Indian Olympics Association, and Mithali Raj, former captain of the Indian women's cricket team and recipient of Arjuna Award and Maj Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, both have consented to grace this occasion with their presence, officials said.

INS Chilka is the premier training establishment of the Indian Navy for sailors' ab initio training upon induction. Commissioned in 1980, the institute undertakes various facets of Service training like physical training, swimming, small arms, cyber security, naval orientation, etc. The curriculum has been designed to develop mental and physical faculties essential for a career at sea, the Navy said.