PUNE: After 24 years, the NCC cadets of the Maharashtra directorate won the all-India Nau Sainik camp, which concluded on Tuesday at the INS Shivaji, Lonavala, about 60km from Pune.
The Maharashtra NCC contingent, which had finished third at the last camp, outperformed the cadets from 17 other directorates in various competitions that were held during the ten-day camp.
The Maharashtra team scored 940 points out of 1000. The runner-up team Andhra Pradesh and Telangana won 907 points, while the Madhya Pradesh and Chhatishgarh team could finish third position with 873 points.
Brigadier Abhijeet Walimbe, the Camp Commandant, told TOI, "It is a proud and historic moment for the Maharashtra directorate as it could clinch the trophy in a fierce but friendly competition. One can imagine the difficulty as we had to wait for 24 years to win the coveted trophy."
A team of 36 naval cadets from five groups, including Pune, were selected for the camp from the state.
"To select the cadets, three camps were conducted - two in Nashik and one in INS Shivaji - for the camp. They were selected based on their skills, technique and versatile performance during the camps. As a result, Maharashtra could field the best team in the camp cum competitions this time," added Walimbe.
The Maharashtra directorate this time had mainly focused on ship modelling and boat pulling events that are crucial as far as points are concerned. Each event has 200 marks.
"We have won the ship modelling competition while the boys' team won the 600-meter boat pulling competition. These two events made a positive impact on the final ranking," added Wlimbe.
Predominately, MP and Chattishgarh, AP and Telangana and Karnataka and Goa directorates teams had been performing well in the All India Nau Sainik camp over the years.
However, this year, new teams could create an impact in the various competitions.
For instance, a girls' (senior wing) team from the Delhi NCC directorate won the 600-meter boat-pulling event for the first time in history.
Lt Himanshu Sharma, the contingent commander of the Delhi team, told TOI, "Our girls could produce the wonder that we have never done in history. It was a big win for us. We could defeat the major teams that had been dominating the competition for years. It was sheer hard work put in by each team member in the competition. It will boost the morale and confidence of cadets in the directorate."
Meanwhile, Lt Gen Gurbirpal Singh, the director general of the NCC, said, "We are proud of the achievement of the cadets during the camp. This event not only highlights the incredible talent of our young cadets but also strengthens the spirit of camaraderie among the participants."
"The support and resources provided by Headquarters, Southern Naval Command and INS Shivaji for this camp are a reflection of their true commitment towards nation building," he added.
This year's competitions included a multitude of activities that challenge cadets both physically and mentally, with a range of competitions, exercises and workshops designed to enhance their leadership skills.
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