ANO Training at OTA

On the first day at OTA, The rule for all the CTOs are similar. I had register my entry at main gate and got the shivaji company. Document verification done and the journey begin. The whole training program, I had been known as a chest no. 37 allocated barack number 1. 

I entered the barack no. 1 and visited the oldest baracks builded in the time of english people. The arrangement was similar for all the CTOs came from all over India. There were, three companies Shivaji, Ranapratap (RP) and Arjun, each consiting of around 150+ CTOs (Teachers from seniors divisions-SDs). Feeling like entering in hostel days once again. I was not aware that the days will be more tougher from now onwards. I was exited to see different cultures of India at one place. 

The next week's training schedule was packed with activities every weekend. Each morning began at around 3:00 AM, with sessions starting by 5:30 AM at the kote, followed by intense training on the parade/PT ground. The routine included physical training (PT), drills on the Kala Ground (Chunnilal Parad Ground), lectures at Tagore Hall, extracurricular activities, weapon training, shooting practice, and preparation of the flag area.

The days were rigorous, with moments of discipline through punishments, breakfast as early as 5:00 AM on the final days, yoga sessions, exams, and the Drill Square Test (DST). Briefings, movies, outpasses, water parades, and a mix of theory and practical exams kept us on our toes. The experience also involved lectures, the grandeur of Bada Khana, meals with friends, and even encounters with the snakes of Nagpur.

Every moment created lifelong memories. The last day culminated in the grand piping ceremony, the prestigious Passing Out Parade (POP), and the emotional Antim Pag. It was then that I was proudly commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Indian Army, serving as an Associate NCC Officer.