GU faculty receives flying officer rank in IAF’s NCC unit

Guwahati: Hemen Kumar Kalita, an assistant professor of physics, has become the first faculty member of Gauhati University to be commissioned as a flying officer in the Indian Air Force’s National Cadet Corps (NCC) Unit while serving in an academic capacity.The achievement brought distinction to the university and its long-standing association with the NCC. The commissioning is of particular significance for GU, as Kalita has become the first associate NCC officer of the NCC Air Force Wing to hold the rank of flying officer from the university.GU, in a statement on Wednesday, said Kalita successfully completed the demanding Pre-Commission Training, demonstrating exceptional discipline, leadership and professional competence throughout the programme.The formal pipping ceremony, marking his commissioning as a flying officer, was held at Air Force Station Tambaram in Chennai on Dec 26, in accordance with Indian Air Force traditions. The ceremony symbolised the culmination of months of rigorous training and the assumption of official responsibilities as a commissioned officer, GU said in a release on Wednesday.During this period, he secured an ‘A’ grade for his overall performance. “I am feeling happy to be part of the batch of total 29 trainees who completed the senior division pre-commission training course held at Air Force Station (AFS) Tambaram and got commissioned as flying officer in the NCC units of different parts of India,” Kalita told TOI on Wednesday. In his new role, flying officer Kalita will be entrusted with mentoring and motivating NCC cadets at Gauhati University to join the Indian armed forces.