Joining NDA was cadet’s dream, says his cousin

PUNE: Jayesh Jaiswal, a cousin of the deceased NDA cadet Alekh Jaiswal, told TOI on Monday that it was his childhood dream to join National Defence Academy (NDA) and pursue a career in the armed forces.
He said their family was in a state of shock and could not gauge the cause for Alekh’s drastic step when he was doing well in military training and academics.
Jayesh, who accompanied Alekh’s parents to Sassoon General Hospital, where the post mortem was conducted on Monday, said, “Alekh was good in studies right from his school days. It was his dream to join the NDA, which he had accomplished eventually. Since he had a Sainik School background, he didn’t have an issue with military training at NDA. He was confident about his training throughout. Considering all these aspects, we are also in shock and not able to assess what prompted him to take such a drastic step.”
The cadet’s father is a businessman and runs a restaurant at their native place of Ambikapur in Chattisgarh while his mother is a housewife. They have a daughter too.
Jayesh said Alekh was in regular touch with his parents and he did not talk about any specific issue related to the academy’s training.
The academy deployed two officers and personnel to assist the parents at the hospital. Sources told TOI, “The cadet’s post mortem report revealed that the cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging. No scratches were spotted on his body.”
After getting the body, the parents had a special meeting with Commandant Air Marshal J S Kler and Deputy Commandant Rear Admiral S K Grewal at NDA on Monday evening.
The academy sources said, “Two officers will accompany the parents to their native place. The local military authorities at Ambikapur will provide all assistance to the cadet’s family in all needs on Tuesday.”
According to sources, the cadet was good in sports. “He was doing very well in equitation training,” they added.
Meanwhile, a section of veterans said a holistic review of selection, training and grooming of cadets in all military academies in the country is necessary. Veterans said academies should pay special attention towards training of mental toughness of cadets essential for the a military career.