In a first, 345 Indian Army officer-cadets equipped with cyber security certification

A total of 345 men and women officer-cadets of the Indian Army successfully completed their year-long ab-initio military training at the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The OTA’s passing out parade on Saturday (7th March) was a historic one, as the passing out officer-cadets had not just aced their basic military training, but had also earned their certification in Information Technology and Cyber Security. “We are the first such pre-commissioning training institution of the Indian Army to implement this certification in IT and Cyber Security,” said Lieutenant General Michael Fernandez, Commandant, OTA.

The OTA is a premier military institute that sculpts civilian youth (men and women) into officers of the Indian Army for the Short Service Commission. As part of India’s military diplomacy efforts, the OTA also trains personnel from India’s friendly foreign nations. Two officers each from Bhutan and Tanzania were trained in the latest batch.

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The gruelling year-long course at the OTA imparts theoretical and practical training across disciplines, including international relations, military history, weapon training, map reading, field engineering, physical training, survival training, administration, etc.

In order to integrate technological competence with military training, the OTA partnered with the SRM Institute of Technology (SRMIST) to offer a Diploma in IT and Cyber Security to the budding Army officers. Curated specifically for the OTA officer-cadets, the one-year course delivered by SRMIST faculty focused on the fundamentals of IT, network security, secure systems design, cyber hygiene, incident response, and emerging areas such as cyber warfare, AI applications, and information assurance. The diploma course curriculum included classroom sessions, lab work, exercises, projects, and continuous assessments designed around realistic operational scenarios, officials said.

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Addressing the passing out parade, Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army’s Western Command, said that countries are increasingly relying on force to address their security concerns amid today’s fragmented and volatile world. The salience of military power is only increasing.

India is faced with its own set of security challenges. On the Northern front (with China), seemingly, there is an improvement, but the situation still remains fragile. On the Western front (with Pakistan), their military leadership, which is ruling the country, wants to continue a state of constant confrontation to maintain its own relevance.

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“Our response in Operation Sindoor (against Pakistan) was just, calculated, and punitive. We hit terror bases along the border and destroyed military bases deep inside their heartland. We aim for peace but must remain operationally prepared to deal with adverse situations. Next time around, our response is going to be much more harsh, severe, and lethal,” assured Lt Gen Katiyar.

“God willing, you could be the ones delivering it,” he told the newly commissioned officers.

Marching in Unison: The sibling duo

In a rare occurrence, siblings Priyanshu Dixit and Mansi Dixit are among the 345 passing out officer-cadets from the OTA. Hailing from Etah district in Uttar Pradesh, the siblings from an agrarian background were fascinated about a career in the Armed forces from a young age. The brother and younger sibling Priyanshu is a graduate with B.Sc Mathematics, while Mansi is a law graduate. Hailing from a rural background with limited resources, the siblings said that they managed to motivate and mentor each other to attain their goal of serving the country.

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